Syrian government troops advanced in the Aleppo region on Jan. 17, seizing Maskana and Deir Hafer amid heavy clashes with the Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF accused Damascus of breaching a recently negotiated 48-hour withdrawal agreement and said fighters remain besieged in Deir Hafer and Maskana. The Interior Ministry reported seizing an SDF weapons depot, while political changes—including recognition of Kurdish as a national language—were reported alongside the military offensive.
Syrian Forces Seize Maskana and Deir Hafer in Aleppo Advance; SDF Accuses Damascus of Truce Violation
Syrian forces enter the Raqqa area of eastern Aleppo after the withdrawal of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday. Photo by Ahmad Fallaha/EPA
Jan. 17 (UPI) — Syrian government forces advanced across the Aleppo region on Saturday, seizing the towns of Maskana and Deir Hafer as clashes intensified with units of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the SDF and multiple news outlets reported.
The Syrian military captured Maskana and pushed into other communities previously controlled by the SDF, a coalition that is largely composed of Kurdish fighters, CNN reported. Al Jazeera also said Syrian forces took Deir Hafer and several nearby localities, and that authorities declared the territory west of the Euphrates closed to all but the national military.
SDF Response and Accusations
"As a result of the Damascus government's treachery and violation of the internationally sponsored agreement, groups of our fighters remain besieged in the towns of Deir Hafer and Maskana, despite the agreement stipulating a 48-hour deadline for our forces to withdraw," the SDF media center said in an earlier statement.
"The Damascus government violated the agreement and attacked our fighters using tanks. We hold the Damascus government and the international powers sponsoring the agreement fully responsible for the safety and lives of our besieged fighters," the statement added, calling for safe passage for fighters and their weapons to areas in north and east Syria.
The Syrian Interior Ministry reported its forces captured an SDF weapons supply depot during the operation. Casualty figures for fighters on both sides remain unspecified.
Political Context
According to reports, President Ahmed al-Sharaa — whose forces reportedly captured Damascus in late 2024 after former President Bashar al-Assad fled — has pledged to reunify the country following more than a decade of civil war. Media accounts also say al-Sharaa has recognized Kurdish as a national language and reinstated citizenship for Syrians of Kurdish origin. These political developments were reported alongside coverage of the military advances but have not been independently verified here.
Note on Sources and Verification
This account synthesizes statements from the SDF media center and reports by CNN and Al Jazeera, along with claims attributed to the Syrian Interior Ministry. Some claims—especially high-level political developments—are reported by international outlets and by parties to the conflict; readers should consider these attributions when interpreting the facts on the ground.
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