US calls for calm amid Syrian military push into Kurdish-controlled area

US Urges Syrian Troops to Halt Advance in Kurdish-Held Territory

The United States has called on Syrian troops to cease their advance through Kurdish-held territory in Syria’s north. The request was made by Brad Cooper, head of the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), who wrote on X that Syrian troops should “cease any offensive actions” in areas between Aleppo and Tabqa.

On Saturday, the Syrian Army Operations Command reported that the military had entered Tabqa, a strategic town near a dam and a military airbase. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) denied this claim, stating that its forces were still in their positions there.

The SDF had agreed to retreat east of the Euphrates River, following recent fighting in Aleppo and areas east of the city over stalled plans to merge the SDF into the Syrian state. However, Syria’s army accused the SDF of violating a withdrawal agreement by targeting an army patrol near Maksana, “killing two soldiers”.

The situation has escalated with Syrian troops advancing further, entering Kurdish-controlled towns and villages, including Hneida, Rajm al-Ghazal, Mansoura, and Zur Shamar. The SDF accused Damascus of violating the agreement and accused the Syrian army of betrayal.

Heavy clashes continue between the forces of the two sides, with parts of Raqqa subjected to artillery shelling and rocket fire. The US has been involved in negotiations to balance its support for the SDF with its backing for the new Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish region’s authorities welcomed a decree announced on Friday that formally recognises the Kurdish language and restores citizenship to Kurdish Syrians. However, the issue of integrating tens of thousands of heavily armed SDF fighters into the Syrian Army remains unresolved.

Source: Al Jazeera