The Syrian military has significantly expanded its territorial control across northern regions following the withdrawal of Kurdish forces from strategic positions. This development comes precisely one day after President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a landmark decree granting official recognition to the Kurdish language and minority status.
Military advancements saw government forces assume control of two Aleppo neighborhoods previously held by Kurdish units, with additional territorial gains east of the city completed on January 17th. The implementation of a March integration agreement, designed to incorporate Kurdish fighters into state forces, has subsequently stalled amid renewed hostilities.
Authorities confirmed the seizure of critical oil fields near Tabqa in Raqa province, while designating areas southwest of the Euphrates River as restricted military zones. Both Syrian army and Kurdish forces reported combat casualties, exchanging accusations of violating withdrawal agreements.
The geopolitical landscape intensified as U.S. Envoy Tom Barrack conducted emergency meetings with Syrian Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi in Erbil. The United States Central Command publicly urged Syrian forces to cease offensive operations between Aleppo and al-Tabqa, reflecting international concern over escalating tensions.
President Sharaa’s unprecedented decree represents the first formal recognition of Kurdish rights since Syria’s 1946 independence, granting nationality to previously stateless Kurds and establishing Kurdish as a national language. However, Kurdish authorities characterized these concessions as insufficient, demanding constitutional guarantees rather than temporary provisions.
Analyst Nanar Hawach of the International Crisis Group observed that Damascus appears to be offering cultural concessions while simultaneously consolidating military control, effectively driving wedges between Kurdish civilians and their governing armed forces.