ISTANBUL

The Syrian Army said Saturday its forces have secured control of the al-Rasafa area and its historic citadel in the southern countryside of Raqqa in northeast Syria, along with seven surrounding villages.

In a statement to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the army’s Operations Command said the advance has further tightened pressure on Tabqa Military Airbase, which it said PKK terrorists use as a primary base for their operations.

The advancement comes as the army announced that its forces are advancing toward Tabqa military airport as part of continued deployments west of the Euphrates River following the withdrawal of the YPG/SDF terror group.

Earlier on Saturday, the Syrian Army announced it had taken control of the town of Dibsi Afnan and was moving toward Tabqa in Raqqa province. It also said it had established full military control over the cities of Deir Hafir and Maskanah in the eastern Aleppo countryside.

The developments came as Ferhat Abdi Sahin, a ringleader of the YPG/SDF terror group targeted by the army's military operation west of the Euphrates, claimed that terror elements would withdraw to regions east of the river starting at 7 am local time (0400GMT).

In March 2025, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement for the terrorist organization YPG/SDF's integration into state institutions, reaffirming the country’s territorial unity and rejecting any attempts at division.