Saturday, January 17th saw Syrian government forces enter several towns and oil fields in northern Syria that were previously controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
While this significantly strengthens government territorial control, Kurdish forces see this move as a betrayal which threatens to derail hopes for a peace agreement.
The Syrian government is expanding into northern regions after March 2025 negotiations led by Ahmed al-Sharaa stalled on integrating Kurdish forces into the national army. According to the SDF, government troops violated the withdrawal agreement by entering settlements and oil fields not specified in the deal, leading to multiple deadly clashes.
Last week, government forces pushed Kurdish fighters out of two Aleppo neighbourhoods and then took control of the area east of the city. State media reported on Saturday that the army had captured the northern city of Tabqa and its neighbouring dam, as well as the larger Freedom Dam, formerly known as Baath, west of Raqqa. Kurdish forces have maintained near-autonomy over much of northern Syria for over a decade.
The escalation has drawn international concern, with U.S. military officials urging Syrian troops to halt their offensive between Aleppo and Tabqa. France and Nechirvan Barzani, leader of Iraqi Kurdistan, have also called for de-escalation and a ceasefire.
The Syrian advance threatens key areas supporting Kurdish autonomy, including the oil fields of Raqqa and Deir al-Zor, intensifying clashes and undermining previously hopeful prospects for a lasting peace.
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