Syrian army deploys in Deir Ezzor as ceasefire redraws control in the north
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Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:08
The deployment follows a sweeping truce that returned territory, oil and authority to Damascus
Syrian government forces gesture as they deploy after crossing the Euphrates River in the province of Deir Ezzor, eastern Syria on 19 January 2026 (AFP)
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The Syrian army on Monday moved into parts of eastern Deir Ezzor province after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew from the area.
The deployment follows a ceasefire that ended days of fighting in which government troops, backed by local tribes that defected from the SDF, made significant territorial gains in Kurdish-held areas of northeast Syria.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced the ceasefire agreement with the SDF on Sunday. He is set to meet SDF leader Mazloum Abdi on Monday as the two sides seek to build on the deal.
The meeting comes as tensions continue to simmer in the north, where the army said three soldiers were killed on Monday in attacks it blamed on Kurdish forces.
In a statement carried by state news agency Sana, the army said a number of soldiers were also wounded in a separate attack, without disclosing the location.
It added that “some terrorist groups… are attempting to disrupt the implementation” of the ceasefire agreement.
The SDF, meanwhile, said government forces launched attacks on its fighters in several areas across northern and northeastern Syria.
Separately, the group said “violent clashes are taking place… in the vicinity” of a prison in Raqqa that holds prisoners from the Islamic State group.
The Syrian army’s sweeping advances over the weekend forced the SDF to accept a truce and a broad agreement that brings Kurdish civilian and military authorities under central state control.
Damascus consolidates power
The 14-point accord calls for the immediate and full administrative and military transfer of Deir Ezzor and Raqqa provinces to the Syrian government - a major concession by the SDF and a term it had previously rejected.
It also integrates all civilian institutions in Hasakah into state bodies and removes heavy military deployments from Ain al-Arab, also known as Kobani.
Under the deal, Damascus will assume control of all border crossings and the region’s oil and gas fields. The SDF leadership also pledged to expel remnants of the former regime from its ranks and to provide lists of their names.
On Monday, the Syrian army said it had secured the Tishrin Dam, alongside northern Raqqa and western Hasakah, as SDF forces began withdrawing.
The army said it had started deploying across the Jazira region to secure areas in line with the agreement, urging civilians to follow instructions and limit movement to essential needs.
Syria: SDF left weakened, short of territory and oil after ceasefire, experts say
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The interior ministry said its units had entered eastern Deir Ezzor as part of a plan for organised deployment across towns and villages.
Local Administration Minister Mohammed Anjrani said governors from Hasakah and Raqqa would meet to discuss service provision across the northeast. “Serving our people in all governorates is a fixed right and a commitment we will never deviate from,” he said on X.
Regional reactions, meanwhile, came quickly.
Turkey welcomed the agreement, saying it could help restore stability and security. Saudi Arabia also endorsed the deal, highlighting its potential to strengthen institutions and the rule of law alongside stability.
In Washington, Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Israel and US President Donald Trump, offered a cautious endorsement, saying: “I’m hopeful it’s full of promise and transformative, but I have concerns and questions.”
He asked whether regional actors like Israel were consulted and sought answers on Turkish involvement.
Abdi said in an interview that the SDF’s withdrawal from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa to Hasakah aimed to prevent further bloodshed and avert civil war.
He acknowledged heavy losses but said the group would defend what he described as its gains.
Call for Israeli support
SDF commander Sipan Hamo told Reuters the group was not seeking separation from Syria. He called for US or international guarantees, denied receiving support from Iran or Russia, and said he hoped Israel would intervene in favour of Syria’s Kurds.
"Of course, we consider Israel a powerful state in the region with its own agenda. We hope that the same stance taken by other countries in the region towards certain minorities in Syria will be extended to the Kurds as well," Hamo said.
Asked if he was referring to Israel's stance towards the Druze minority last summer - when Israel carried out air strikes on the defence ministry in Damascus and on Syrian troops advancing on Druze cities - Hamo said, "of course."
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