Syrian government soldiers carry machine guns
Syrian government forces moved into Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria on Saturday, taking several towns and triggering clashes that have shaken a tentative political arrangement aimed at restoring central control over the country. This follows weeks of tension and heavy fighting earlier this month between government troops and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group backed by the United States. Syria’s army said it had taken control of the Tabqa military airport in Raqqa province, which had previously been held by Kurdish forces, as reported by AFP. Raqqa became a global symbol of the war after the Islamic State group captured it in 2014 and declared it the capital of its self-styled caliphate. The city was badly damaged during the US-led campaign that defeated the group and has since remained under SDF control, with a small US military presence nearby. Since Bashar Assad was removed from power last year, Kurdish authorities have been reluctant to place their forces under the new government’s command. Talks on integrating Kurdish military and civilian bodies into the post-war Syrian state have continued for months but have recently stalled. The renewed fighting has increased concern in Washington, where officials fear a wider conflict between Damascus and Kurdish forces could undermine efforts to prevent an Islamic State comeback and put US troops in Syria at risk. The government advance came hours after SDF fighters withdrew from positions east of Aleppo. The pullback followed a decree issued on Friday by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa affirming the rights of Kurdish Syrians, a move seen as an attempt to ease tensions after government strikes in the area. However, the calm was short-lived. Both sides accused each other of breaking the understanding, and clashes quickly spread. US officials urged restraint as violence escalated. The head of US forces in the Middle East, Adm. Brad Cooper, called on Syrian government troops to “cease any offensive actions” near Aleppo. Separately, US special envoy Thomas J. Barrack Jr. met Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq as Washington sought to prevent a broader confrontation. Fighting was reported in multiple towns and villages as government forces said they were advancing through oil-rich areas toward the strategic town of Tabqa, which lies about 30 miles from Raqqa. At least 24 civilians have been killed in five days of fighting, with thousands forced to flee. The clashes mark some of the deadliest violence since Syria’s civil war ended in December 2024, when al-Sharaa’s rebel coalition overthrew the Assad regime.
