18.01.2026 16:20
In Raqqa province of Syria, the city center was largely liberated from the terrorist organization YPG/SDG due to the uprising of the people and some tribal elements. It was reported that the areas held by YPG/SDG in Deir ez-Zor have been completely liberated. The Syrian government has instructed the immediate activation of public institutions and local councils in Raqqa.
The Syrian army had given the terrorist organization SDG, which did not comply with the March 10 agreement, a deadline until the New Year. However, the organization did not integrate in all areas and insisted on the process. In response, the Damascus administration launched an operation against SDG targets in Aleppo. The Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods were cleared of the organization, ending the SDG presence in Aleppo. Continuing its advance west of the Euphrates, the Syrian army captured Deir Hafir, followed by Meskene, Tabqa, and Deir ez-Zor. The Syrian army also besieged Raqqa from the west.
RAQQA WAS CLEARED OF YPG/SDG In Raqqa province of Syria, the city center was largely liberated from the terrorist organization YPG/SDG due to the uprising of the people and some tribal elements.
The multi-faceted operation initiated by the Syrian Army and local tribes significantly undermined the military and economic presence of SDG in a short time.
COLLAPSED IN 24 HOURS Following the failure of the Integration Agreement signed between the Damascus administration and SDG on March 10, the Syrian Army and local tribes launched a simultaneous operation. The operation produced decisive results within 24 hours in the vast areas that the terrorist organization SDG had controlled for over a decade. While the period defined by the organization as its "golden age" effectively came to an end, it was assessed that SDG was trapped in the Ayn al-Arab (Kobani) line, which has no economic base and is increasingly losing external support.
The terrorist organization SDG experienced a major collapse in 48 hours. The map changed in Syria.
THE ARMY ADVANCED TO THE EAST OF THE EUPHRATES According to security sources, units affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense shifted the axis of the operation eastward after capturing the Tabqa district, which is part of Raqqa. While the main target was seen as the city center of Raqqa, the operation was directed towards Deir ez-Zor. The 86th Division of the Syrian Army crossed to the east of the Euphrates over the land bridge in the city center of Deir ez-Zor. The control of this bridge, which is critical due to SDG's destruction of other crossing points, significantly increased the army's operational capability on the eastern bank and cut off the organization's logistical lines.
OIL AND GAS FIELDS CHANGED HANDS With the operation, the oil and gas fields, seen as the military and economic backbone of SDG, quickly changed hands. The Al-Omar oil field and the Conoco natural gas field, along with the Safyan, Al-Thawra, Tenk, Cefra, Azba, Tayyane, Ceydu, Malih, and Azrak fields, came under the control of the Syrian Army and local tribes. It was reported that with this development, more than 70% of the organization's internal revenue flow was cut off in a single day.
THE US OFFICIALLY ABANDONED THE ORGANIZATION The changing dynamics on the ground also prompted US forces to take action. It was learned that the US military withdrew heavy equipment from its bases in Al-Omar and Conoco and relocated them to the Shaddadi base in Hasakah. This move reportedly created serious morale issues and a sense of "abandonment" among the remaining SDG elements in the region. During the same process, SDG's headquarters and control points were gradually lost. The Al-Basira Headquarters was captured by the Al-Ukaydat tribe, while the Al-Jaabi control point came under the control of local forces. The energy transmission lines in Tayyane came under the control of the Syrian Army, and one of the organization's important bases, Hawaj Dhiab Barracks, was also taken in the operation.
The rapid advance in Deir ez-Zor caused panic among SDG/YPG ranks. The organization halted crude oil production in the fields and instructed the closure of public institutions in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate under its control and the declaration of a curfew. Nevertheless, the Syrian Army quickly established dominance in the city center and forced SDG elements to retreat north. Experts indicate that the halt in energy production in Deir ez-Zor could disrupt basic services in regions like Hasakah, Ayn al-Arab, and Ayn Issa in a short time.