18.01.2026 14:10
After the Integration Agreement between the Damascus government and the SDG failed to find a response on the ground, the simultaneous operations initiated by the Syrian Army and local tribes quickly undermined the military and economic power of the SDG; the organization lost more than 70% of its revenues, having lost a large portion of the oil and gas fields, and was forced to withdraw from Deir ez-Zor, becoming trapped along the Ayn al-Arab line.
The multi-faceted operation initiated by the Syrian Army and local tribes has significantly undermined the military and economic presence of the SDF in a short period.
COLLAPSED IN 24 HOURS Following the failure of the Integration Agreement signed between the Damascus administration and the SDF on March 10 to yield results on the ground, 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 SDF has 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 the SDF was cornered in the Ayn al-Arab (Kobani) line, which lacks an economic base and is increasingly losing external support.
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 connected to Raqqa. While the main target is 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 via the land bridge in the city center of Deir ez-Zor. The control of this bridge, which is critical due to the SDF'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 the SDF, quickly changed hands. The Al-Omar oil field and the Conoco natural gas field, along with 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 the US forces to take action. It was learned that the US military withdrew its heavy equipment from the Al-Omar and Conoco bases and relocated them to the Shaddadi base in Hasakah. This move reportedly created significant morale issues and concerns of "abandonment" among the remaining SDF elements in the region. During the same process, the SDF'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 during the operation.
The rapid advance in Deir ez-Zor caused panic among the SDF/YPG ranks. The organization halted crude oil production in the fields and instructed the public institutions in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate under its control to close and declared a curfew. Nevertheless, the Syrian Army quickly established dominance in the city center and forced SDF elements to retreat northward. Experts indicate that the cessation of energy production in Deir ez-Zor could soon disrupt essential services in regions such as Hasakah, Ayn al-Arab, and Ayn Issa.