DAMASCUS, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian interim authority said Saturday that its forces had seized strategic oil fields and sites near northern Raqqa province's Tabqa city, west of the Euphrates River, as clashes continued with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The pro-Damascus troops said they had taken control of the Safyan and al-Thawra oil fields, as well as the al-Rasafa junction in western Raqqa, and described the advances as part of an ongoing operation stretching from eastern Aleppo toward Raqqa. The forces also warned SDF fighters to leave the area and urged civilians to avoid locations it designated as military zones, according to local Al-Ikhbariya television.
The Damascus-backed authority has declared the region west of the Euphrates a closed military zone, saying its operations aim to restore state authority, secure infrastructure, and prevent attacks following recent drone strikes and shelling in Aleppo and its eastern countryside.
The SDF, on the other hand, accused the pro-Damascus forces of violating an internationally backed ceasefire that allowed 48 hours for SDF units to withdraw from Deir Hafer and Maskanah in eastern Aleppo. In a statement Saturday, the SDF said some fighters remained besieged after pro-Damascus forces entered the towns and launched attacks with tanks before the withdrawal was complete.
"We hold the Damascus government and the international powers sponsoring the agreement fully responsible for the safety and lives of our besieged fighters," the SDF said, calling for safe passage for troops and weapons to northern and eastern Syria.
The confrontations follow days of rising tension after the SDF announced plans to reposition east of the Euphrates under pressure from international mediators. The militant-turned authority in Damascus has been seeking to integrate the U.S.-backed Kurdish force into state institutions, but the two sides have repeatedly clashed despite a ceasefire agreement reached in May 2025. ■
