Aleppo city
\nThe Syrian army is moving into areas east of Aleppo city, after Kurdish forces started a withdrawal.
\nSyrian troops have been spotted entering Deir Hafer, a town about 50km (30 miles) from Aleppo.
\nOn Friday, the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia announced it would redeploy east of the Euphrates river. This follows talks with US officials, and a pledge from Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to make Kurdish a national language.
\nAfter deadly clashes last week, the US urged both sides to avoid a confrontation. President al-Sharaa is seeking to integrate the Kurds\u2019 military and civilian bodies into Syrian national institutions.
\nIn a statement to state-run news agency Sana, the Syrian army said its forces \u201cbegan entering the western Euphrates area\u201d, and declared it had established \u201cfull military control\u201d of Deir Hafer.
\nThe military urged civilians not to enter the operations area until it is secured and \u201ccleared it of all mines and war remnants\u201d.
\nThe move comes after Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi agreed to pull back his US-backed SDF \u201ctowards redeployment in areas east of the Euphrates\u201d, responding to \u201ccalls from friendly countries and mediators\u201d.<\/p>\n
Images showed Syrian forces advancing towards the area, including with tanks.<\/p>\n
US special envoy Tom Barrack and Mazloum Abdi are set to meet later on Saturday in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
\nIn recent days, the Syrian army had urged civilians to flee the Deir Hafer area, with at least 4,000 people leaving, according to Syrian authorities.
\nBefore the Kurdish withdrawal, President al-Sharaa said he would make Kurdish a national language, and recognise the Kurdish new year as an official holiday.
\nThe decree, announced on Friday, is the first formal recognition of Kurdish national rights since Syria\u2019s independence in 1946. It stated that Kurds were \u201can essential and integral part\u201d of Syria, where they have endured decades of oppression under previous rulers.
\nDespite the apparent easing of tensions, disagreements linger. In response to the decree, the Kurdish administration in Syria\u2019s north and north-east said it was \u201ca first step\u201d but called for \u201cpermanent constitutions that express the will of the people\u201d, rather than \u201ctemporary decrees\u201d.
\nMeanwhile, after Syrian troops entered areas east of Aleppo, accusing Damascus of \u201cviolating\u201d the agreement by moving in earlier than agreed.
\nSyria\u2019s army also accused the SDF of \u201cviolating the agreement\u201d, saying two of its soldiers had been killed by Kurdish forces as the military moved in.
\nKurdish forces have been controlling swathes of Syria\u2019s oil-rich north and north-east, much of it gained during the civil war and the fight against the Islamic State group over the past decade.
\nFollowing the ousting of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, President al-Sharaa has been seeking to integrate the Kurdish bodies into Syrian institutions.
\nIn March 2025, the SDF signed a deal with the government to that effect. Almost a year on, the agreement is still not implemented, with each sides blaming the other.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Aleppo city The Syrian army is moving into areas east of Aleppo city, after Kurdish forces started a withdrawal. Syrian troops have been spotted entering Deir Hafer, a town about 50km (30 miles) from Aleppo. On Friday, the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia announced it would redeploy east of the Euphrates river. This follows […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":526286,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-526272","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n