HAMIMA, Syria (AP) – On Saturday morning, Syrian government forces advanced to the outskirts of Deir Hafer, a northern town, following an announcement from the command of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that it would evacuate the area to prevent further conflict. This development follows recent deadly clashes earlier this month between government troops and the SDF in Aleppo, Syria's largest city, which culminated in the evacuation of Kurdish fighters from three neighborhoods that were subsequently captured by government forces.

Witnesses, including an Associated Press reporter, observed military vehicles such as tanks, armored personnel carriers, and pickup trucks equipped with heavy machine guns moving towards Deir Hafer from Hamima, as bulldozers removed obstacles. Notably, there was no visible SDF presence at the town's edge at the time of the government advance.

The Syrian military announced early Saturday that it had gained full control over Deir Hafer and had successfully captured the Jarrah airbase located to the east of the town. The military stated it was engaged in demining efforts and indicated that its troops would also move towards the nearby town of Maskana.

In the days leading up to this military action, over 11,000 individuals fled Deir Hafer and Maskana, utilizing alternative routes to reach areas controlled by the government. This exodus came in response to the government's announcement of a forthcoming offensive targeting these towns.

Compounding the tension, on Friday night, following escalated bombardment of SDF positions in Deir Hafer, SDF's top commander, Mazloum Abdi, announced via social media that his forces would withdraw from contested northern areas. He stated that SDF fighters would begin relocating east of the Euphrates River at 7 a.m. local time on Saturday.

The situation appeared to cool after U.S. military officials visited Deir Hafer on Friday and engaged in discussions with SDF representatives in the region. The United States maintains strong relations with both the Syrian government and the SDF, advocating for de-escalation and calm in the area.

Additionally, the SDF's decision to pull back was influenced by a decree issued by Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Friday, which aimed to enhance the rights of the Kurdish population. Prior to the ongoing conflict, Kurds comprised about 10% of Syria's 23 million residents and historically faced marginalization under the Baath party rule that lasted six decades until Bashar Assad's ascent to power in December 2024.

Al-Sharaa's decree notably recognized Kurdish as a national language alongside Arabic and designated the Newroz festival, which marks the arrival of spring and is celebrated by Kurdish communities, as an official holiday.