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The Syrian Army announced on Saturday that it has taken full control of the cities of Deir Hafir and Maskanah east of Aleppo following the YPG/SDF terrorist organization's withdrawal while entering Raqqa province and advancing toward the strategic city of Tabqa.
"We announce the full establishment of our military control over the city of Deir Hafir in the eastern Aleppo countryside," the Army's Operations Command told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The Syrian Army Operations Command, cited by SANA, stated that army units took control of 34 villages and towns in the eastern Aleppo countryside.
The command also announced that its forces "have expanded control over an area extending approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) east of Deir Hafir city."
Army units took control of the Al-Jarrah Military Airport while facilitating the withdrawal of more than 200 members of the SDF organization with their weapons."
"Hundreds of SDF members have surrendered to the army," the command said.
Syria's internal security forces have begun entering the Deir Hafir area in the eastern Aleppo countryside, according to reports.
Army forces are working to secure the cities and clear them of landmines and war remnants.
The Operations Command announced that Syrian Army units entered Raqqa province and took control of the town of Dibsi Afnan in the western part of the province.
"The army is advancing toward the strategically important city of Tabqa," officials said.
The Syrian Operations Command, cited by SANA, also stated that YPG/SDF members violated the agreement and targeted a Syrian Army patrol near Maskanah city, killing two soldiers and wounding others.
The command accused "PKK terrorist militias" of being deployed in several villages and towns west of the Euphrates, obstructing the implementation of the agreement and targeting Syrian Army forces.
SDF elements also targeted SANA news agency reporters and military media teams near Dibsi Afnan town in rural Raqqa, according to Syrian Defense Ministry statements. No casualty information was provided.
The Defense Ministry said YPG/SDF armed elements positioned in villages west of the Euphrates River targeted Syrian army units and hindered the implementation of agreements with the government.
"These attacks escalate tensions in the field and threaten civilian safety," the Defense Ministry stated.
Following the attack, the Syrian Army declared the area west of the Euphrates River a "closed military zone."
The Operations Command called on civilians in the area west of the Euphrates to immediately move away from positions of "PKK terrorist militias and remnants of the ousted regime allied with SDF."
The command said the army "will continue to establish control over areas west of the Euphrates and will respond to any targeting of its forces."
"PKK terrorist militias have planted mines on the Shu‘ayb al-Dhikr bridge in the western countryside of Raqqa to obstruct the implementation of the agreement," the Syrian Army tells SANA, noting, "We warn that blowing up this bridge will disrupt the agreement and will have very grave consequences."
YPG/SDF ringleader Ferhat Abdi Sahin, also known as Mazloum Abdi, had claimed that terrorist elements would withdraw to regions east of the Euphrates starting at 7:00 a.m. local time Saturday, saying the move was intended to demonstrate "good faith in complying with the terms of the March 10 agreement."
The Syrian Army declared areas west of the Euphrates, particularly Deir Hafir and Maskanah, military zones on Jan. 13 and launched an operation against identified terrorist targets after establishing humanitarian corridors on the M15 highway for civilian evacuations.
The Syrian Defense Ministry had welcomed the YPG/SDF's decision to withdraw from contact lines west of the Euphrates River, saying the move would be carried out simultaneously with the deployment of Syrian Army units to ensure security and restore state sovereignty.
In March 2025, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement for the YPG/SDF's integration into state institutions, reaffirming the country's territorial unity. However, authorities said the SDF has failed to comply with the terms of those agreements.
The Syrian government has intensified efforts to restore security nationwide since the ouster of the Assad regime in December 2024, after 24 years in power.
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