Syrian government forces achieved their biggest victory since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime: the Kurds retreated

January 19, 2026 at 07:14 PM • 2202 переглядiв

Syrian government forces on Monday strengthened their control over the northern and eastern regions of the country. This happened after the sudden retreat of Kurdish units, which significantly strengthened the position of President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from these areas is the most significant change in the control map since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in 2024. This is reported by Reuters, writes UNN.

Details

The Syrian army stated that "several" militants of the terrorist group "Islamic State" escaped from a prison in the city of Shaddadi, which was previously under Kurdish control.

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Official Damascus accused the SDF of deliberately releasing prisoners. At the same time, SDF representatives rejected the accusations, stating that they lost control of the facility as a result of an attack by government forces.

Soldiers gathered near the prison in Raqqa. Photo: Reuters

According to the Kurdish side, thousands of militants were held in Shaddadi prison, but the exact number of escapees is not yet disclosed.

Government troops deployed to oil fields

Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, SDF forces agreed to leave the provinces of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. These regions are of strategic importance as they contain Syria's main oil fields.

Oil fields. Photo: Reuters

For a long time, Damascus demanded the full integration of Kurdish units into the state armed forces, which was the reason for the recent clashes before the agreements were reached.

International reaction and the role of mediators

Turkey welcomed the signing of the agreement between President al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi. President Tayyip Erdogan called for the immediate implementation of the document's terms, which provide for the full merger of Kurdish fighters with the Syrian army. The United States played an important role in mediating between the parties, which, under the administration of Donald Trump, established close ties with the al-Sharaa government, despite previous years of supporting Kurdish units in the war against ISIS.

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Stepan HaftkoNews of the World