Asiye Latife Yilmaz
17 January 2026•Update: 17 January 2026
ISTANBUL
The US military on Saturday welcomed de-escalation efforts in Syria and urged Syrian government forces to halt “any offensive actions” between Aleppo and Tabqa.
"We welcome ongoing efforts by all parties in Syria to prevent escalation and pursue resolution through dialogue. We also urge Syrian government forces to cease any offensive actions in areas between Aleppo and al-Tabqa,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on US social media company X.
The statement added that “aggressively pursuing ISIS (Daesh) and relentlessly applying military pressure” requires cooperation among Syrian partners in coordination with US and coalition forces.
On Jan. 13, the Syrian army declared areas west of the Euphrates River under the occupation of the YPG/SDF terrorist organization, primarily Deir Hafir and Maskanah, as military zones.
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.
