The Syrian military has officially declared the establishment of complete authority over the strategic town of Deir Hafer, located approximately 50 kilometers east of Aleppo. This development occurred on Saturday, January 17, 2026, following a negotiated withdrawal agreement with Kurdish-led forces that had previously controlled the area.
According to an official statement broadcast on Syrian state television, government forces have successfully implemented ‘full military control’ throughout the town and its surrounding territories. Independent verification from an AFP correspondent deployed in the region confirmed the visible presence of Syrian army personnel conducting systematic deployment operations within Deir Hafer’s urban center.
The transfer of authority concludes a period of heightened military tensions in the Aleppo periphery, where recent clashes between Syrian government units and Kurdish forces had raised concerns about potential escalation. The negotiated disengagement represents a significant territorial acquisition for the Damascus government, strengthening its strategic positioning in northern Syria’s complex geopolitical landscape.
This development marks another phase in the ongoing reorganization of military control across Syria’s northwestern regions, where multiple factions including government forces, Kurdish-led administrations, and various opposition groups maintain intersecting spheres of influence. The peaceful resolution of this particular standoff suggests evolving tactical relationships between previously opposed military factions in Syria’s protracted conflict.