Kurdish forces retreat as Syrian army launches operation east of Aleppo VIDEO

The Syrian army has launched a military operation against Kurdish fighters in Deir Hafer, a Kurdish-controlled area some 50 kilometrEs (30 miles) east of Aleppo, following deadly clashes in the city earlier this month.

The army issued warnings ahead of the strikes targeting the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), stating that operations would focus on areas used “as a launching point for their terrorist operations towards the city of Aleppo and its eastern countryside,” Al Jazeera reports.

In response, SDF leader Mazloum Abdi, also known as Mazloum Kobani, announced that his forces would withdraw east of the Euphrates River. In a post on X, Abdi said: “Based on calls from friendly countries and mediators … we have decided to withdraw our forces tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. [04:00 GMT]” east of Aleppo “towards redeployment in areas east of the Euphrates.”

Abdi emphasized that the withdrawal was “in demonstration of … our commitment to implementing the provisions of the March 10th agreement,” referring to stalled plans to integrate the Kurdish-led autonomous administration into the Syrian state. The agreement, which was expected to see the SDF integrate with the Syrian Ministry of Defence by the end of 2025, has been delayed, fueling the recent clashes in Aleppo that left at least 23 people dead, according to Syria’s Ministry of Health.

As Syrian forces advanced, more than 150,000 residents fled two SDF-held pockets in Aleppo, areas controlled by the Kurds since the early days of Syria’s civil war, which erupted in 2011. By January 11, Syrian troops had reportedly taken full control of Aleppo.

January 17 attack occurred despite a meeting between a US-led coalition delegation and Kurdish forces aimed at easing tensions. Syrian authorities reported that at least 4,000 people fled the Deir Hafer area on January 17 after the army issued a deadline for evacuation.

By Vafa Guliyeva