TABQA, Syria (AP) - Government forces have successfully seized the strategic town of Tabqa in eastern Syria as part of an ongoing military operation against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) east of the Euphrates River. This development follows a spike in tensions earlier this month, which led to deadly clashes resulting in the government regaining control over three neighborhoods in Aleppo from Kurdish fighters.
The military advance into Tabqa, located in the Raqqa province, is significant due to its proximity to a dam that regulates water flow southward into areas controlled by the SDF. The town is also notable for housing a military air base. Reports indicated that residents of Tabqa were welcoming to the Syrian troops, celebrating their arrival by waving the national flag.
President Ahmad al-Sharaa has faced challenges in consolidating power across the war-torn country since leading an insurgency to oust long-time leader Bashar Assad in December 2024, particularly in appealing to minority groups wary of the government’s Islamist tendencies. Tensions between the Syrian government and the SDF have intensified, as both sides have accused each other of breaching an agreement made in March aimed at reintegrating northeastern Syria and the Kurdish forces into the Syrian state.
While the SDF has been a key ally of the United States in the fight against the Islamic State group, the U.S. has also maintained relations with the Syrian government in an effort to de-escalate tensions between the two opposing forces in the region. Following the recent clashes in Aleppo that resulted in 23 deaths and the displacement of tens of thousands, the U.S. called for calm.
SDF leader Mazloum Abdi announced that his forces would pull back from areas east of the Euphrates River following al-Sharaa’s pledge to take measures aimed at enhancing Kurdish rights in Syria. In the previous week, the Syrian Defense Ministry declared a contested area in eastern Aleppo a military zone, including part of the frontline that separates government-controlled territories from those held by the SDF. The Syrian military is reportedly advancing further towards Raqqa city, a key territory currently under SDF control.
Tabqa represents one of the predominantly Arab areas that Syrian government forces have captured in Raqqa province. The extent of the Syrian military's advance into Kurdish territories remains uncertain. Reports from Syrian state media, SANA, alleged that Kurdish forces destroyed a bridge in Tabqa to hinder the government's momentum. In response, the SDF refuted claims of executing prisoners in the area, asserting they relocated detainees as the fighting escalated.
In a video posted by the SDF, armed individuals in civilian clothing were shown entering a prison in Tabqa and seizing munitions, evidenced by shouts of "We liberated Tabqa prison!" No bodies were visible in the clip.
The SDF has controlled Tabqa since 2017, having liberated it from ISIS forces during the campaign against the militant group’s self-proclaimed caliphate, which had once dominated large regions of both Syria and Iraq. In a related development, the governor of Deir el-Zour province, situated further east, urged residents to remain indoors due to skirmishes involving the SDF.
Tensions persist between the SDF and Arab tribes in Deir el-Zour, close to a crucial border crossing with Iraq. This province is home to the Al-Omar oil and Conoco gas fields, locales that have been under the scrutiny of U.S. troops based in the region. Reports suggest that local armed tribes opposed to Kurdish rule may have seized control of these vital resources.
According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Syrian government forces have captured over a dozen villages and towns in the eastern Deir el-Zour countryside following the withdrawal of SDF forces.
Reported by Ghaith Alsayed, The Associated Press.
