The Syrian Army has taken over control of the city of Tabqa and the town’s dam, built on the Euphrates River and the largest in the country, after a day of fighting in the area with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that continues at the gates of the strategic city of Raqqa.
Previously, Damascus had already announced progress in the town of Tabqa with the seizure of oil fields close to the Syrian city, its airport and several strategic points for the entry of land transport.
The Syrian Army and the SDF reached a week ago a ceasefire in the city of Aleppo which included the withdrawal of Kurdish-Arab militias from the area. Damascus forces then began an offensive in several areas east of Aleppo, forcing the SDF to Retroces of Cities such as deir hafer and maskand arriving this Saturday at the gates of Raqqa, the most populated city under Kurdish control.
The Tabqa Dam is located just 40 kilometers from Raqqa and its control is for the Syrian Government have under its power the management of Lake Asadthe largest freshwater reserve in the country.
Civilians killed
For their part, the kurdish forces have reported clashes with the Syrian Army in the city of Mansourain the rural surroundings of Raqqa.
“Our forces are currently waging intense clashes against Damascus militants in the city of Mansoura, as part of efforts to repel the attacks and protect civilians,” the SDF said on social media.
Likewise, the FDS has notified the arrest of three people “who tried to “wreak chaos and undermine security in the city of Tabqa by opening fire on civilian homes.”indicating that they have taken the “necessary” measures to maintain security.
In this sense, Damascus has denounced that the militias even They have executed several detainees“especially civilians”, and has accused the FDS of violating International Humanitarian Law by using civilians as “hostages.”
“The Syrian Government considers this organization (the SDF) to be fully responsible, commits to the families of the martyrs that they will be brought to justice fairly and calls on the international community to condemn this crime“, declared the Syrian Minister of Information, Hamza al Mustafaon their social networks.
More than 60 SDF fighters surrendered to Damascus government forces this Saturday following attacks on the rural areas of Raqqa, according to the Syrian news agency SANA, citing Army sources.
The US calls for an end to the attacks
He United States Armed Forces Central Command (CENTCOM) has urged Syrian Government forces to stop operations in the Aleppo and Tabqa areas and has called for dialogue between both sides to reach a solution.
“We also urge Syrian government forces to cease any offensive action in the areas between Aleppo and Tabqa. The aggressive pursuit of (Islamic State) and the relentless application of military pressure requires teamwork among Syrian partners, in coordination with U.S. and coalition forces. A Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors is essential for peace and stability throughout the region,” said CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper.
This Saturday, CENTCOM announced that a bombing the day before in northwest Syria claimed the life of an Al Qaeda fighter involved in a deadly attack on three Americans in December.
The United States has supported the Kurds for years, but it also backs Syria’s new authorities. He main ally of the United States in its operation against the Islamic State in Syria has been the SDF, which has continued to carry out joint offensives against terrorist targets in the country despite the escalation of tension with the Syrian authorities.
Last week’s fighting broke out after Damascus and the SDF failed to make progress in their talks to try to reach a final agreement on the integration of Kurdish forces and the role of the semi-autonomous Kurdish authorities in the future of the country after the fall in December 2024 of the Al Assad regime.
Breach of peace
He FDS commander, Mazloum Abdi, -leader of forces made up mainly of Kurds- and now transitional president, Ahmed al Sharasigned an agreement in March 2025 that aimed to reintegrate all civil and military institutions in the Kurdish autonomous zones – including the SDF – under the control of the central state, as well as to implement a ceasefire at the national level, although disputes have arisen over the integration process that have prevented its materialization.
On Friday, in fact, President Al Sharaa had issued a decree declaring Kurdish as the “national language” and granting the minority official recognition in an apparent gesture of good will. At this moment, however, the Syrian army is in control of areas in the north of the country, evacuated under pressure by the Kurdish forces that have exercised autonomy there for more than ten years, and has taken the military airport of Tabqa, a key city in the province of Raqa.
Last week, the army expelled Kurdish forces from two neighborhoods in Aleppo and on Saturday took control of an area east of the city. Both sides have accused each other of violating the withdrawal agreement.
A SANA correspondent reported this Sunday that The SDF destroyed a bridge over the Euphrates in Raqa. For his part, the regional governor of Deir Ezzor, Ghassan Alsayed Ahmedsaid on social networks that the FDS fired “rocket projectiles” into neighborhoods in territories under government control in the region.
“Intense clashes continue between our forces and the Damascus factions that violated recent agreements and “They betrayed our forces as they retreated.”the FDS say in a statement. They add that parts of Raqa province, under Kurdish control, are “subject to artillery bombardment and rocket fire.”
The President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macronand the leader of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzanihave called for “an immediate de-escalation and a permanent ceasefire” in Syria, the French presidency reported.
The city of Raqa, in the province of the same name, It was the “capital” of the Islamic State jihadist group before being defeated by the SDF with the help of a multinational coalition led by the United States.
