ISW: Türkiye intensifies drone strikes to isolate SDF forces in Syria PHOTO/VIDEO

Turkish forces appear to be ramping up efforts to isolate the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) by targeting key supply routes to the Tishreen Dam on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, sources and reports suggest.

Turkish drone strikes have reportedly cut off a main road leading to the dam in Aleppo Province, a critical supply line for SDF forces, Caliber.Az reports per ISW.

Anti-SDF media claimed the strikes have left SDF units holding the dam and surrounding terrain on the western bank vulnerable to isolation. 

While the impact of these strikes could be temporary, sustaining air superiority around the clock may prove challenging for Türkiye, as SDF fighters have successfully downed some Turkish drones.

The Tishreen Dam serves as a vital supply route for the SDF, and its loss could weaken their defensive position. On January 6, Turkish airstrikes reportedly killed four SDF fighters along the supply line road.

Meanwhile, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) has gained ground on the western bank of the Euphrates. The SNA seized elevated positions overlooking the village of Mahshiyyat al Sheikh, about five kilometres from the dam, and continued drone strikes on SDF positions nearby. Advances by the SNA, supported by Türkiye's air campaign, could further jeopardize the SDF's ability to maintain control of the area.

🚨Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri, Rakka’nın kuzeyindeki M4 otoyolunda PKK/YPG’ye ait tankları imha etti. pic.twitter.com/f99WIJcyvG

— 3. Dünya Savaşı (@ww3mediaa) January 7, 2025

Elsewhere, SNA forces have reportedly advanced near the town of Maskanah, threatening to outflank the SDF along the Aleppo-Raqqa highway. Turkish drone strikes have targeted SDF vehicles in the region, indicating a broader effort to disrupt supply lines and reinforcements for SDF’s southern flank.

The escalating strikes come amid Türkiye’s increasing pressure on the SDF to disarm and integrate into the Syrian Ministry of Defence. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned on January 7 that Türkiye would launch a “military operation” against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), a key component of the SDF, unless it disbands.

“The eradication of the Kurdish YPG militia is imminent,” Fidan said, reiterating Türkiye’s long-standing policy of equating the YPG with the broader SDF.

By Aghakazim Guliyev