ALBAWABA - Syrian government forces have now taken Deir Hafir, a city located in eastern Aleppo province, following the withdrawal of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The Syrian Arab Army announced on Saturday that it had achieved full control of Deir Hafir. This came after the SDF's exit, which followed some minor clashes earlier in the week.
In a statement broadcast on state television, the army confirmed that its units had completed their entry into the city, effectively ending the SDF's presence.
Deployment West of the Euphrates
The military also reported that initial units had begun moving into areas west of the Euphrates River.
Deir Hafir marked the initial phase, part of a broader strategy to regain government authority east of Aleppo.
Journalists on the ground reported seeing military convoys moving toward the former front lines, the ones that once separated government forces from the SDF near the city.
SDF officials cited mediation and integration talks as the driving force.
On Friday evening, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi declared his forces would start withdrawing from the eastern Aleppo countryside on Saturday. He presented the move as a sign of goodwill, a product of mediation by allied nations and international intermediaries. The aim was to advance integration discussions with the Syrian government, a process established in a March agreement.
That agreement, which involves integrating Kurdish-led administrative bodies into the Syrian state, has faced numerous delays in its implementation. Both parties have, at different points, pointed fingers at each other for the delays.
Efforts are being made to prevent things from getting worse.
SDF officials and representatives from the U.S.-led international coalition met on Friday, hoping to calm things down in the Deir Hafir area, as per SDF spokespeople.
This action by the army comes after the recent recapture of the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud districts in Aleppo, which were previously under SDF control.
