In a significant shift of territorial control, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew from Syria’s largest oil field on Sunday amid expanding government military operations across northern and eastern regions. The al-Omar oil field, previously housing the largest US military base in Syria, was evacuated by SDF units at dawn according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.
The government offensive has reclaimed numerous strategic locations including two neighborhoods in Aleppo following recent clashes, along with territories east of the city and the Tabqa area in Raqqa province. This advance marks the government’s most substantial gain in predominantly Arab territories that had been under Kurdish control since the campaign against Islamic State.
The withdrawal follows the collapse of a negotiated agreement for Kurdish forces to retreat to areas east of the Euphrates River. Both sides reported casualties and exchanged accusations regarding which party violated the arrangement. The Kurdish administration claimed government forces launched attacks across multiple fronts, while the Syrian army asserted that SDF fighters failed to honor their commitment to completely withdraw east of the river.
In response to the escalating situation, Kurdish authorities implemented a curfew in Raqqa province after the army designated the southwestern Euphrates region as a “closed military zone.
Concurrently, President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree granting official recognition to Kurdish rights, interpreted as a goodwill gesture amid the government’s push to reassert authority nationwide. However, the Kurdish autonomous administration, which controls substantial territory in northeast Syria, dismissed the announcement as insufficient, noting that implementation of agreements to integrate Kurdish forces into the state structure has remained stalled for months.