Syrian army deploys in former Kurdish-held areas under ceasefire deal

Deir Ezzor (Syria) (AFP) – Syria's army deployed in formerly Kurdish-led areas in the country's east and north on Monday after a ceasefire announced a day earlier, as Syria's president and the Kurds' leader were set to hold talks.


Issued on: 19/01/2026 - RFI

Syria's army deployed in formerly Kurdish-led areas in the country's east and north after a ceasefire announced a day earlier © OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP

The leader of the Syrian Kurdish forces said Sunday he agreed to the deal with Damascus to avoid broader war, integrating the Kurds' administration and his fighters into the state after months of stalled negotiations.

Despite the deal, the government and the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) traded blame on Monday for fresh attacks that the military said killed three soldiers.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced the accord with SDF chief Mazloum Abdi following two days of rapid gains in Kurdish-controlled territory after the army pushed the SDF out of Aleppo city earlier this month.

Analysts said the deal marked a blow for the minority's long-held ambitions of preserving the de facto autonomy they had exercised in swathes of north and northeast Syria for over a decade.

In Deir Ezzor province in the country's east, an AFP correspondent saw dozens of military vehicles heading to the east of the Euphrates River, while trucks, cars and pedestrians lined up at a small bridge leading to the eastern bank.

Mohammed Khalil, a 50-year-old driver told AFP that he was overjoyed by the arrival of Syrian government forces.

"We hope things will be better than before. There was... no freedom" under the SDF, he said.

Teacher Safia Keddo, 49, said "we want children to return to school without fear, and for electricity, water, and bread to be re

'Protecting civilian lives'

The army said it "started the deployment" into Syria's north and east "to secure it under the agreement", adding that forces had reached the outskirts of Hasakeh city, whose province is the Kurds' stronghold.

The military did not say where its soldiers were killed but accused "terrorist groups" of seeking to disrupt the deal's implementation.

The SDF instead accused the government of launching attacks and reported "violent clashes" near a prison in Raqa that holds detainees from the Islamic State group.

The agreement includes the Kurdish administration's immediate handover of Arab-majority Deir Ezzor and Raqa provinces to the government, which will also take responsibility for IS prisoners and their families held in Kurdish-run jails and camps.

The SDF had seized swathes of the provinces as they expelled the jihadists during Syria's civil war with the support of an international coalition led by the United States.

An AFP correspondent in Raqa said security forces deployed in the main square, while a military convoy passed through the city as sporadic gunfire rang out.

Dozens of residents crossed the Euphrates in boats after two bridges were destroyed, while residents toppled a statue of a woman erected by Kurdish forces.

Raqa resident Khaled al-Afnan, 34, said "we support Kurdish civil rights... but we don't support them having a military role."

"This deal is important for protecting civilian lives," he told AFP.

'Serious doubts'

The SDF on Sunday withdrew from areas under its control in the eastern Deir Ezzor countryside, including the Al-Omar oil field, the country's largest, and the Tanak field.

Local fighters from tribes in the Arab-majority province sided with Damascus and seized the areas before the arrival of government forces.

Some Arab tribes were previously allied with the SDF, which included a significant Arab component.

An energy ministry official told state television on Monday that technical teams were heading to recently taken oil facilities to assess their condition.

The SDF's Abdi said Sunday he agreed to the deal to avoid civil war and end a conflict "imposed" on the Kurds.

Mutlu Civiroglu, a Washington-based analyst and expert on the Kurds, said the government's advance "raises serious doubts about the durability" of the ceasefire and a stalled March agreement between the government and the Kurds.

"Sharaa's confrontations with Kurdish forces, following earlier pressure on Alawite and Druze areas, reinforce doubts about the interim government's legitimacy and its ability to represent Syria's diverse population," he added.

Last year saw sectarian violence in the country's coastal Alawite heartland and in southern Syria's Druze-majority Sweida province.

Sharaa had on Friday issued a decree granting the Kurds official recognition, but the Kurds said it fell short of their expectations.

In Qamishli, the main Kurdish city in the country's northeast, activist Hevi Ahmed, 40, said Sunday's deal was "a disappointment after years of hope that the Syrian constitution might contain a better future for the Kurds."

© 2026 AFP

 

Decades of suffering: Long-term mental health outcomes of Kurdish chemical gas attacks

Frontiers

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 Halabja Monument, Halabja, Iraq

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Credit: Ibrahim Mohammed

Dr Ibrahim Mohammed is a clinical psychologist and researcher specializing in trauma, somatic symptoms, and psychopathology in conflict-affected populations. He has worked for over a decade with survivors of massacres in the Kurdistan Region, integrating clinical practice with research. He is also a lecturer at the Institute of Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology at the University of Duhok. His current research focuses on validating psychological instruments for Kurdish communities and exploring genetic and phenomic factors related to trauma-related disorders. 

In a new study in Frontiers in Psychiatry, he and colleagues showed exceptionally high levels of trauma among survivors of a notorious atrocity: the 1988 chemical attack on Halabja in Kurdistan. In this editorial, he summarizes their findings.

The Halabja attack was among the most notorious targets of Saddam Hussein's genocidal Anfal campaign of 1988, during which an estimated 182,000 Kurds were killed across Iraqi Kurdistan. At Halabja, an estimated 5,000 people died that day from chemical agents, primarily mustard gas and nerve agents. Thousands still suffer from its long-term effects. Entire families were shattered, homes destroyed, and the community bears the wounds to this day.

When anybody speaks about this chemical attack, the immediate horror often overshadows the story: the thousands of lives lost, the destruction. But less attention is given to what befell those who survived, carrying with them memories, fear, and pain several decades later. Our new study has tried to understand precisely what happens to people after surviving such a catastrophe. How do trauma and loss shape an entire lifetime?

We worked closely with more than 500 survivors of the Halabja chemical attack. We collected information on their experiences, health, and mental state. Somatic complaints, anxiety, depression, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder were also assessed, as were the various traumatic experiences and social and clinical factors. The aim was to ascertain the full impact of such exposure in the long term.

The results were striking: even decades after the chemical gas attack, many survivors showed severe PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Sometimes more obvious than the psychological presentations were somatic symptoms like pain, fatigue, and chronic health issues. It is important to note that trauma does not just disappear with time: it evolves, remains, and weaves itself into the fabric of daily life, particularly in a community that remains under economic pressure and social strain.

Embodied trauma

One of the things we noticed was the tendency of trauma to be embodied. In this part of the world, as in many others, physical symptoms reflect emotional distress, for example in the form of headaches, back pain, exhaustion, or stomach problems. These are not simply medical complaints, but the echoes of psychological injury. We need to understand this in our attempts at care the care that is meaningful and compassionate.

Our study also underlined the cumulative stress. Survivors who faced multiple traumatic events like displacement, loss of loved ones, or witnessing brutal violence, suffered higher levels of distress. Their vulnerability was heightened by factors such as chronic illness, low income, and less education. Yet, despite such hardships, we saw remarkable resilience. After profound experiences, people manage to adjust, provide for their families, and move on.

One story that still stays vividly in my mind is that of a man who was suffering from acute respiratory problems, due to the chemicals at the scene. He bore the scars as deep in his mind as in his body. We arranged for him to see a mental health professional, in hopes of lessening his load. But just a week later, I would hear the news that he had died from complications related to his lung issues. Even decades after the attack, lives are still lost, echoing the enduring toll of that tragedy.

Call to action

In our data, almost 79% of our participants met symptom criteria for PTSD, while 65% had clinically significant depression or anxiety, and well over half experienced severe somatic symptoms. Women, those with lower incomes, and less education were especially vulnerable. Fewer than 17% were receiving psychotropic medications, representing an enormous gap in mental health treatment for survivors.

Perhaps the most sobering finding was the glaring lack of mental health support. Many participants reported never having received proper psychological care. There has been long negligence in attending to the needs of chemical attack survivors, and services in Kurdistan are scant. This study is more than a set of numbers: it is a call to action. Besides recognition, survivors need access to culturally sensitive mental health services, programs to trace missing family members, and official support for compensation and ongoing care.

This is the story of the people behind the statistics. Every number represents a life, a memory, a struggle that extends decades beyond the event. Survivors gave accounts with courage and honesty, reminding us that trauma is very much more than any clinical diagnosis could contain. It is deeply, painfully human.

Healing from mass violence is not a process of forgetting nor returning to some naive version of ‘normal’: for survivors, it may mean carrying memories that will not fade, while finding ways to live with them day after day. Recovery is a journey premised on understanding, empathy, and steadfast care from the community to top levels of policymakers. We hope that this study contributes to such an understanding.

By detailing the long-term psychological and physical effects of chemical attacks, we aim to inform authorities, health professionals, and communities on offering better care. By sharing their experiences, we honor the survivors' resilience and bravery in the face of such profound trauma.

Besides being a story of great loss, Halabja serves as a living reminder that the effects of war continue long after hostilities cease. They echo across lifetimes and generations. By listening closely, studying respectfully, and responding thoughtfully, we can ensure survivors are neither forgotten nor neglected and that their ongoing struggles receive the care and understanding they deserve.

---

Journal

Frontiers in Psychiatry

DOI

10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1693072 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

A study on long-term trauma-related mental health outcomes among Kurdish survivors of chemical attacks

Article Publication Date

19-Jan-2026

Syrian troops clash with Kurdish forces as both sides trade blame for breaking withdrawal deal

At least four Syrian soldiers and an unknown number of Kurdish-led troops have been killed in clashes that broke out during the agreed withdrawal of Kurdish fighters across the Euphrates River. The Syrian army says it has now entered the city of Taqba on the river's west bank, which the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces say they had not agreed to leave.


Issued on: 17/01/2026 

By:
FRANCE 24

Video by:
FRANCE 24



Syrian troops swept through towns in the country's north on Saturday following an agreed withdrawal by Kurdish fighters there, but clashes erupted when the army kept up its advance deeper into Kurdish-held territory.

For days, Syrian troops had amassed around a cluster of villages that lie just west of ​the winding Euphrates River and had called on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stationed there to redeploy their forces on the opposite bank of the river.

Overnight, SDF ‍head Mazloum Abdi said his forces would withdraw early on Saturday morning as a gesture of goodwill, leaving the river as a front line between Syrian government troops to its west and Kurdish forces to its east.

But clashes broke out ​in some towns and oil fields on Saturday as the SDF and Syria's army accused each other of violating the agreement, with Kurdish ​authorities saying Syrian troops were pushing into towns not included in the withdrawal deal.

Kurdish authorities in northern Syria ordered a curfew for the Raqqa region "until further notice", as government forces advanced and threatened to bomb sites in the area.

After taking control of territory outside Aleppo city earlier Saturday, the army designated a swathe of Kurdish-held territory in Raqqa province southwest of the Euphrates River, including the city of Tabqa, a "closed military zone".

'A lot of contradictory information': Syrian and Kurdish forces clash along the Euphrates River

The Syrian army said on Saturday night it had begun entering the city of Tabqa, adding that it was "encircling" the Kurdish forces at their military airport.

"Syrian army forces have begun entering the city of Tabqa via various axes, in parallel with encircling the PKK terrorist militias inside Tabqa military airport," the operations unit of the army told the official SANA news agency.

The United States Central Command urged Syrian government forces to halt its advance.

CENTCOM "urges Syrian government forces to cease any offensive actions in the areas between Aleppo and al-Tabqa", it said on X. "Aggressively pursuing ISIS (the Islamic State group) and relentlessly applying military pressure requires teamwork among Syrian partners."

Remaining Arab residents celebrate troops' arrival

Syrian troops moved relatively smoothly into the main town of Deir Hafer and surrounding villages whose residents are predominantly Arab, according to statements from the military.

Some residents had left in recent days through a humanitarian corridor set up by Syria's army but those who stayed celebrated the army's arrival.

"It happened with the least amount of losses. There's been enough blood in this country, Syria. We have sacrificed and lost enough – people are tired of it," Hussein al-Khalaf, a resident of Deir Hafer, told Reuters.

Kurdish granted national language status in Syria

SDF forces had withdrawn east, some on foot, towards the flashpoint town of Tabqa – downstream but still on the western side of the river, according to a Reuters reporter in the ‍area.

But when Syria's army announced it was aiming to capture Tabqa next, the SDF said it wasn't part of the original deal and that it would fight to keep the town, as well as oil fields in its vicinity.

Syria's army ​said four of its troops had been killed in attacks by Kurdish militants, and the SDF said some of its own fighters had been killed, but did not give a number.

US-led coalition planes flew over the flashpoint towns, releasing warning flares, according to a Syrian security source.

'The goal is to destroy the Syrian Democratic Forces': Clashes break out between army and Kurds



In a bid to end the fighting, ‌US envoy Tom Barrack travelled to Erbil in northern Iraq on Saturday to meet with both Abdi and Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, according to two Kurdish sources. There was no immediate comment from Barrack's spokesperson.

France's President Emmanuel Macron and the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, in telephone talks on Saturday urged a cessation of fighting in Syria, the French presidency said.

They "called on all parties for an immediate de-escalation and a permanent ceasefire", it said, after fighting between Syrian Kurdish forces and government troops in the country's north.

Deepening divides

Weeks of tensions between Syrian troops and the SDF have deepened the ‍fault-line between the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has vowed to reunify the fractured country after 14 years of war, and local Kurdish authorities wary of his Islamist-led administration.

The two sides engaged in months of talks last year to integrate Kurdish-run military and civilian bodies into Syrian state institutions by the end of 2025, insisting repeatedly that they wanted to resolve disputes diplomatically.

But after the deadline passed with little progress, clashes broke out earlier this month in the northern city of Aleppo and ended with a withdrawal of Kurdish fighters.

Amid continued sectarian violence, Syrians face mass displacement

PERSPECTIVE © FRANCE 24
08:48

Syrian troops then amassed around towns in the north and east to pressure Kurdish authorities into making concessions in the deadlocked talks with Damascus.

Kurdish authorities still hold key Arab-majority areas in the country's east, including some of Syria's largest oil ‍and gas fields. Arab tribal leaders in SDF-held territory have told Reuters they are ready to take up arms against the Kurdish force if Syria's army issues orders to do so.

Kurdish fears have been deepened ‌by bouts of sectarian violence last ​year, when nearly 1,500 Alawites were killed by government-aligned forces in western Syria and hundreds of Druze were killed in southern Syria, some in execution-style killings.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters and AFP)

Syrian army enters areas east of Aleppo as Kurds withdraw

Dmytro Hubenko 

DW with AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters

16 hours ago16 hours ago

The Syrian army announced that it had taken control of Deir Hafer, a town previously under Kurdish control located east of Aleppo.

The Syrian army entered Deir Hafer, which is located 50 kilometers east of Aleppo

Image: Abdulfettah Huseyin/Anadolu Agency/IMAGO


The Syrian army announced on Saturday that it had taken control of Deir Hafer, a town located to the east of Aleppo.

The announcement came one day after the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed to withdraw from the area.

The army announced on state television that it had established "full military control" of Deir Hafer. Meanwhile, reporters from news agencies on the ground witnessed troops deploying inside the town.

The Syrian military announced that they had also captured the Jarrah airbase, located east of Deir Hafer, as well as the nearby town of Maskana and more than 30 villages.

Later on Saturday, both sides accused each other of not adhering to the withdrawal deal. The Syrian army claimed that two of its soldiers were killed, while the SDF claimed that several of its fighters were killed.

What did SDF say?

On Friday night, after government forces began attacking SDF positions in Deir Hafer, Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Kurdish-led fighters, announced on X that his group would withdraw from contested areas in northern Syria.

Abdi announced that the SDF would start moving east of the Euphrates River at 7:00 a.m. local time on Saturday.

Earlier on Friday, Syrian authorities said that thousands of people had fled the towns of Deir Hafir and Maskana to escape the ongoing conflict between government troops and the SDF.

Last week, deadly clashes erupted between government troops and SDF in Aleppo. The fighting ended with the evacuation of Kurdish fighters from three neighborhoods that had been taken over by government forces.


Why are Syrian army and SDF clashing?

Fighting broke out between the Syrian army and Kurdish-led forces as negotiations stalled between Damascus and the SDF over an agreement reached in March 2025. The agreement aimed to integrate their forces and allow the central government to take control of institutions, including border crossings and oil fields, in the northeast.

During Syria's civil war, the SDF was considered the United States' most important ally in fighting the extremist "Islamic State" group.

However, the transitional government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa accuses the SDF of tolerating al-Assad loyalists and members of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) within its ranks.

In turn, Kurdish representatives distrust assurances by al-Sharaa, the former leader of the Islamist group HTS, that their rights will be protected. They also warn of a possible resurgence of the "Islamic State".

Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez

 Syria's new president issues decree granting Kurdish language and citizenship rights

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in speech to nation on January 16 broadcast on national television. / bne IntelliNews

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By bnm Gulf bureau January 16, 2026

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree on January 16 granting Kurdish citizens language rights and citizenship while declaring the Persian and Kurdish new year Nowruz a national holiday, state news agency SANA reported.

The decree affirms that "Syrian Kurdish citizens are an integral and authentic part of the Syrian people, and that their cultural and linguistic identity is an inseparable component of Syria's unified and diverse national identity," according to the document published by the president's office.

The decree followed violent clashes in Aleppo last week that killed at least 23 people and forced more than 150,000 to flee two Kurdish-run neighbourhoods, according to Syria's health ministry reported by Reuters. Kurdish fighters withdrew following the confrontations.

Kurdish was declared a national language and will be permitted for teaching in state-run and private schools in areas where Kurds constitute a significant percentage of the population, as part of the elective curriculum or cultural activities, in a turnaround of fortunres from recent weeks of clashes between Damascus authorities and Kurdish leaders in the north.

The decree annuls all exceptional laws and measures resulting from the 1962 census in Al-Hasakah province and grants Syrian citizenship to all residents of Kurdish origin living in Syria, including those previously unregistered, with full equality in rights and duties.

Nowruz, the ancient festival celebrating the start of the new year on March 21, was recognised as a paid official public holiday across Syria. The decree prohibits any discrimination based on ethnicity or language.

Al-Sharaa addressed the Kurdish population in a video message posted on social media, urging displaced Kurds to return safely without conditions other than laying down weapons.

"Our Kurdish brothers, descendants of Salah al-Din, beware of believing the narrative that we wish harm upon our Kurdish people. By God, whoever harms you is our adversary," al-Sharaa said.

The move came hours before a meeting between US Syria envoy Tom Barrack and Syrian Democratic Forces commander Mazloum Kobane in Erbil.

Barrack is expected to secure agreement for SDF withdrawal from territory west of the Euphrates River, a key demand from Syrian and Turkish governments.

Kurds constitute between 10% and 15% of Syria's population and represent the second-largest ethnic group, living primarily in northeastern regions, TASS reported.

Shortly after the decree's announcement, the Syrian military launched operations against positions "of the terrorist PKK militias and remnants of the ousted regime allied with the SDF organisation" in Dayr Hafir, east of Aleppo, i24NEWS reported.

Turkey blocks calls for regime change in Iran as protests escalate

FEAR OF(IRAN)KURDISTAN REVOLUTION

Issued on: 17/01/2026 -

Turkey is opposing calls for regime change in Iran as security forces carry out a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests. The Turkish government accuses Israel of exploiting the unrest, and is leading efforts to block any military action against Iran – warning that a collapse of the regime could destabilise the region.

Iranians cross the Razi-Kapıköy border between Iran and Turkey, in north-eastern Turkey, on 18 June 2025. © AFP - YASIN AKGUL

Since protests began across Iran almost three weeks ago, Turkey has tried to play down the scale of the unrest. It has distanced itself from Western allies calling for regime change and avoided offering explicit support for those demands.

The protests began on 28 December after a currency collapse triggered demonstrations by merchants and traders in Tehran. The unrest quickly spread nationwide. Activists say more than 2,000 protesters have been killed.

Alongside Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar, Turkey has lobbied Washington against any military response to the killings. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said such a move would worsen the situation.

“We oppose military intervention against Iran; Iran must resolve its own problems,” Fidan said. “We want the issue resolved through dialogue.”

Fear of regional collapse

According to The Guardian newspaper, US President Donald Trump’s decision to step back from attacking Iran was influenced by Turkey and its Arab allies – who warned of regional chaos if an attack went ahead.

Turkey fears that Iran could descend into civil war similar to Iraq after the collapse of its regime, said Serhan Afacan, head of the Ankara-based Center for Iranian Studies, adding the consequences would be more severe due to Iran’s size and diversity.

“Iran has a population of about 90 million, including many ethnic minorities such as Turks, Kurds, Arabs and Baluchis,” Afacan explained.

“If a conflict erupts among these groups, it could result in a prolonged civil war. Any resulting immigration from Iran to Turkey could reach millions.”

PKK security fears

Turkey already hosts about three million refugees. Experts say Ankara’s biggest security concern is the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which has fought Turkey for an independent Kurdish state and has an Iranian affiliate, PJAK.

Although the PKK announced a ceasefire last year and pledged to disband, Ankara fears unrest in Iran could give the group new opportunities, said Iranian expert Bilgehan Alagoz, of Marmara University.

“Day by day, we have started to see the PKK groups in certain cities of Iran demanding some separatist demands, and this is the main concern for Turkey,” he said.

Ankara also accuses Israel of exploiting the situation in Iran.

“Israel has targeted all these PKK groups and tried to motivate the PKK groups inside Iran,” Alagoz said. “Any instability inside Iran can create a space for the PKK.”

Fidan has also accused Israel of manipulating the protests.

Turkey is already confronting another PKK-linked group in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces, which controls large parts of the country. Ankara accuses Israel of supporting the SDF, adding Iran to a broader Israeli-Turkish regional rivalry.

Energy pressure

Turkey could also clash with Washington over Iran if the protests continue. Trump has warned that countries trading with Tehran could face 25 percent tariffs.

Iran supplies Turkey with about one-fifth of its gas needs, according to Atilla Yesilada, an analyst at the Global Source Partners think tank. “Iran pumps 10 billion cubic metres of gas to Turkey every year, roughly one-fifth of total consumption,” he said.

That supply could theoretically be replaced by liquefied natural gas imports, but Yesilada warned that Turkey is already struggling to cut its dependence on Russia, its main energy supplier.

“Combine this with increasing American and EU pressure to cut gas purchases from Russia, and Turkey is in a very difficult situation,” he said.

By:  Dorian Jones

Rojava reaffirms 'partnership' with Washington amid backing from US senators

Rudaw



ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Thursday reaffirmed its partnership with Washington, expressing gratitude to a veteran statesman who condemned the “egregious acts” committed by Damascus forces against the Kurdish community in Aleppo, and to another prominent senator who warned of a “stronger reaction” if Syrian forces advance further against “our Kurdish allies.”

In a statement on X, Elham Ahmed, a senior official from the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) in Rojava, expressed gratitude to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch and influential US Senator Lindsey Graham “for your critical support."

“Your clear messages give us hope that our partnership and sacrifices will not be forgotten,” the co-chair of foreign relations for the DAANES said, adding, “We deeply appreciate your steadfast support for your [Kurdish] allies in our darkest hours.”

The top Rojava official further noted that "the interim Syrian government is demanding we dismantle our defense structures while simultaneously launching brutal and cruel attacks against Kurdish people in Aleppo," affirming, "We remain committed to dialogue, but Syria’s transition cannot come at the expense of Kurdish people and other minorities who fought alongside [the United States of America against [the Islamic State] ISIS."

Ahmed’s remarks came in response to a statement from Risch, who on Tuesday condemned the desecration of a Kurdish female fighter by Damascus-affiliated militants, who executed her, threw her lifeless body from a building, and hurled insults.

The desecration occurred amid a military operation by the Syrian Arab Army and affiliated armed groups to expel the Kurdish Internal Security Forces (Asayish) from Aleppo's Kurdish-majority neighborhoods last week, killing around 100 people and displacing roughly 150,000. The Asayish had been securing the two quarters for nearly 15 years.

Risch said he was “gravely concerned about the conduct of armed forces in Aleppo, Syria, over the past week,” and urged the Syrian interim government to “hold accountable those who committed these egregious acts.”
“After years of war, the role of Syria’s new government and armed forces is to safeguard the inherent rights of its citizens, not to infringe upon them,” Risch emphasized.

For his part, influential US Senator Graham on Wednesday reshared Risch’s post, stating, “I fully endorse and support Senator Risch’s call for calm in Syria, putting the new Syrian government on notice that human rights abuses against minorities will not be tolerated.”

Shortly after a ceasefire was declared in Aleppo’s Kurdish areas on Sunday, the Syrian army’s Operations Command on Tuesday designated the eastern Aleppo towns of Deir Hafer and Maskanah as “closed military zones.”

These towns are controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an affiliate of the Asayish, which serves as the de facto military force in Rojava. The SDF is also the primary on-the-ground partner of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, playing a central role in the extremist group’s territorial defeat in Syria in 2019.
Crucially, seizing the eastern Aleppo areas would allow Damascus and its allied factions to open a logistical corridor connecting Aleppo to Raqqa province in north-central Syria, while also enabling increased military pressure on the SDF in key positions along the Euphrates River.

Senator Graham said Wednesday, “Most disturbing of all is that I’m receiving what I believe to be credible reports that Syrian army forces and Turkey may be advancing further against our Kurdish allies - a move that I believe would prompt a strong response from the United States.”

He added, “While I support giving this new Syrian government a chance, I will not tolerate or accept a brazen attack against our Kurdish allies,” concluding, “To the Syrian government and Turkey: choose wisely.”

US lawmakers warn Damascus on Kurdish forces, minority rights

Diyar Kurda@diyarkurda
RUDAW

Congressmen who spoke to on January 14, 2026. Photos: Rudaw

WASHINGTON DC - Senior US House Foreign Affairs Committee members on Wednesday expressed concern over recent attacks on US-backed Kurdish forces in Aleppo, warning they are closely monitoring minority rights and may impose consequences on the Syrian government if abuses continue.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, a Republican, told Rudaw Washington is focused on ensuring that all Syrian communities, including Kurds and other minorities, have a better future than under former President Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorship.

“I’ve had the opportunity to speak to General Mazloum and others,” Mast said, referring to Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi.

“Something that the United States of America is paying attention to - whether it’s the Kurds, whether it’s the Alawites, whether it’s the Druze, whether it’s anybody else [in Syria] - is that we want to see a Syria that presents an opportunity unlike what existed under Bashar al-Assad,” he said.

“We want to see an opportunity for all of the people there, and that’s something that we’re working towards,” Mast added.

The comments come amid heightened tensions in northern Syria, where Kurdish-led forces have accused the Syrian military and Damascus-allied armed groups of rights violations. The attacks have raised concerns in Washington about stability and minority rights under the new Sunni Arab-led interim government.

Backed by armed groups affiliated with Damascus, the Syrian Arab Army this week expanded its attack on the SDF in northern Syria following a military operation to expel Kurdish forces in Aleppo. Around 150,000 residents fled the fighting Kurdish-majority neighborhoods, raising fears of ethnic cleansing and threats against Yazidi minorities.

Rudaw asked lawmakers about Washington’s decision last month to lift sanctions on Syria, which was intended to help the interim government rebuild and improve its human rights record despite reports of continued violations.

Gregory W. Meeks, the top Democrat on the committee, told Rudaw Washington is monitoring developments closely “to make sure they respect the rights of all Syrians, minorities and others.”

He said the Syrian government needs “to get the message, and we’ll be reaching out to others … about what they have to monitor. Otherwise, there will be ramifications.”

Asked about attacks by the Syrian Arab Army on Kurdish forces that fought alongside the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), Meeks said inclusivity is essential for Syria’s future.

“All of the individuals in Syria, the minority groups, the Kurds, they all should be part of one,” he said. “That is what we’re watching. That is what we’re monitoring. And we’re making that strong message, because just as easily as you take something away, you can bring it back.”

Meeks said Washington hopes Syria is moving in a “new and different direction” after decades of authoritarian rule, adding that US policy will reflect developments on the ground.

Republican congressman Tim Burchett also issued a blunt warning to Damascus, saying Syria’s leadership must change course.

“Syria needs to wake up,” Burchett told Rudaw. US President Donald Trump “is not fooling around. This oppression that [Syrian leaders] do to their people and abuse is just wrong. They’ve had a history of this with these thugs.”

Burchett emphasized that while US military power is significant, economic pressure remains a key tool.

“I believe the President [Trump] understands that the most powerful thing we have is our military, but the second most powerful thing we have is our economic strength,” he said. “I think Syria’s leadership better wake up.”

Responding to a question about attacks on Kurdish forces that fought ISIS, Burchett said, “The enemy of our enemy is our friend, and they’ve been fighting our friends. So, I think they need to shape up.”

KCK says US may have approved ‘assault’ on Aleppo’s Kurdish quarters

13-01-2026
Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), an umbrella organization of Kurdish parties, said Tuesday that the assault by the Islamist-led interim authorities in Damascus on Aleppo’s Kurdish-majority neighborhoods may have occurred with the “approval of the US and international powers.”

Deadly clashes erupted last week in Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhoods after the Syrian Arab Army and its allied armed factions launched a large-scale operation to seize Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsood from the Kurdish Internal Security Forces (Asayish).

The violence left at least 82 people dead, including 43 civilians, according to a Sunday report by the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), and displaced approximately 150,000 others, the Erbil-based Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) told Rudaw on Saturday.

In a statement, the KCK said the attack followed meetings involving the US, Israel, and Syria, and coincided with what it described as an agreement to cede southern Damascus to Tel Aviv. The bloc claimed this indicates that “the approval of the US and international powers in the region was obtained, or that their silence was ensured.”

Damascus and Tel Aviv resumed negotiations last week after a four-month pause in Washington-mediated talks aimed at de-escalating tensions along their shared border. Syrian state media confirmed that the talks involved senior diplomatic and intelligence officials and noted that they addressed the establishment of a coordination cell between the two sides.

“The attacks on Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo and the approach and attitude of state officials toward our party constitute an attempt to sabotage the peace and democratic society process,” the statement read, referring to ongoing peace efforts between Ankara and the now-dissolved Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) - which rebranded as the Kurdistan Freedom Movement in May and formerly spearheaded the KCK.

The KCK further noted that the attacks on Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsood were aimed to “de-kurdify them” and were driven by “anti-Kurdish sentiment” and “aim to dismantle the autonomous democratic system established by the Kurdish people [in northeast Syria - Rojava] alongside Arabs, Syriacs, and other peoples throughout Syria,” the bloc said.

The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) governs Rojava as a decentralized, multi-ethnic civil administration overseeing local governance, security, and public services.

An internationally mediated ceasefire came into effect on Sunday. Despite this, videos circulated online showing Damascus-affiliated militants rounding up, arresting, and verbally abusing Kurdish civilians. Social media users have also shared images and videos of relatives who they say have gone missing since the violence began.

Ilham Ehmed described the attacks, disclosed documents, demanded an independent investigation

Îlham Ehmed, Co-Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, explained with documents how the attacks on Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo took place, the war crimes committed and which forces participated.


ANF
NEWS CENTER
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 11:20 AM


Ilham Ehmed, Co-Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, made a detailed statement on the attacks in Aleppo.

Ilham Ehmed explained in detail which forces participated in the attacks on three neighborhoods where more than 500 thousand civilians live and the crimes committed.

7 PEOPLE FROM MY FAMILY WERE KILLED BY DRONE

Ilham Ehmed also announced at a press conference on Zoom that 7 people from his own family were shot and killed by a drone on a bus in the Şêxmeqsûd neighborhood: "Only 7 people from my family have lost their lives in Sheikh Maqsoud so far. They were shot with a drone while I was in a bus and 7 people from my family died there. Apart from this, the number of civilians who have lost their lives so far is very high. People's homes were looted. The bodies of female fighters are thrown down from high places."

THEY ATTACKED THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE 500 THOUSAND CIVILIANS LIVE

The text shared with the signature of İlham Ehmed is as follows:

Since December 23, 2025, the Syrian government and its forces have been imposing a comprehensive siege on the neighborhoods of Şêxmeqsûd, Eşrefiyê and Banî Zêd in the city of Aleppo. More than 500,000 civilians live in these neighborhoods, including about 55,000 Kurdish families, as well as thousands of Kurds forcibly displaced from the Afrin region occupied by Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) groups in 2018.

This siege is a continuation of long-standing efforts to marginalize and isolate the Kurdish population of northern Syria, representing the continuation of collective punishment and ethnic targeting practices that have been documented since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. These neighborhoods had remained relatively stable compared to other war-torn areas until this new military escalation.

Seven access roads to Kurdish neighborhoods were also blocked by Defense Ministry checkpoints, and only one road was left open intermittently under heavy military control. This blockade severely restricted the entry of essential items such as food, medicine, fuel, and humanitarian aid, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. The siege violates the principles of international humanitarian law by depriving hundreds of thousands of civilians of their right to basic livelihoods and health services, and amounts to collective punishment.

Despite repeated communications and official meetings with representatives of the Syrian government demanding that the siege be lifted or that basic necessities be allowed into place, no response or assistance has been provided. This further exacerbated civilian suffering and increased the risk of starvation and disease.

BEGINNING OF THE ATTACKS

On January 6, 2026, groups loyal to the Damascus government launched a large-scale military offensive on the neighborhoods of Şêxmeqsûd and Eşrefiyê. Among the units participating in the attack were the 60th, 62nd, 72nd and 86th Brigades of the Syrian Army. Divisions took part. These units were supplemented by armored vehicles, heavy artillery units, Grad and Katyusha rocket launchers, mortars, DShK heavy machine guns and suicide drones.

The attack deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure and residential areas, clearly violating the law of armed conflict, which requires a distinction between military and civilian targets. This is the first time suicide drones have been used against civilian population centers, marking a strategy to terrorize civilians and break their resistance.

The attack began with suicide drone attacks targeting civilian areas, followed by indiscriminate shelling of residential areas inhabited by unarmed civilians. Tanks and armored vehicles moved towards Kurdish neighborhoods, while civilians in neighboring areas were forcibly evicted from their homes. Snipers were deployed in high-rise buildings surrounding neighborhoods.

Despite the dense civilian population, the Syrian Ministry of Defense declared the Şêxmeqsûd and Eşrefiyê neighborhoods as 'military zones'. Following this identification, heavy weapons were used in residential areas and indiscriminate shelling was carried out. This has raised serious concerns about its use to justify violations of the principle of segregation and the protection of civilians under international humanitarian law.

On January 8, the attack intensified with the involvement of hardline jihadist groups such as Asaib al-Hamra (Red Bands), which had previously been affiliated with al-Qaeda. Important reinforcements came from Idlib and other provinces. Turkish-backed SNA groups participated in the operation, while Turkish reconnaissance drones (Bayraktar) provided aerial surveillance and intelligence support. From the morning of January 8, the operations were led by the Chief of Staff of the Syrian Army, Major General Ali al-Naasan.

The involvement of the Syrian army's regular contingents, as well as extremist groups, and the complicity of foreign actors demonstrate the complexity of alliances that perpetuate violations and war crimes in the region. The attack was carried out with intense shelling using tanks, heavy artillery weapons, rocket systems, mortars and multiple suicide drones carrying high-explosive charges, causing widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure.

LAND ATTACKS AND TARGETING OF MEDICAL FACILITIES

After more than twelve hours of continuous bombardment, Syrian army factions launched coordinated ground offensives on Kurdish neighborhoods on January 7 at around 21:00 and advanced along the three main axes.

On January 8, the Osman Hospital in Ashrafiyê and the Xalid Fecir Hospital, the only functional hospital in Şêxmeqsûd, were repeatedly bombed. The attacks caused severe structural damage and Xalid Fajir Hospital was completely unusable with injured civilians, patients and medical staff still inside. Several health workers were killed, which is a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Osman Hospital and Xalid Fajir Hospital were repeatedly hit, resulting in severe structural damage, and Xalid Fajir Hospital became unusable while patients and medical staff were inside. Medical facilities are protected under the Geneva Conventions, and attacks on these facilities may constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law.

THE OCCUPATION OF ASHRAFIYE AND THE CONTINUATION OF THE ATTACKS ON ŞÊXMEQSUD

Between January 9 and 10, Ashrafiyê was completely occupied by the attacking forces. Military operations then concentrated on Şêxmedsûd. Civilians, including the wounded, children, the elderly and whole families, remained trapped in the hospital, despite the fact that Xalid Fajir Hospital was out of service. The continued bombardments have led to new casualties among civilians and medical personnel. The hospital remained the last refuge for civilians who could not escape. Civilians, including the wounded, children and the elderly, were trapped in and around Xalid Fajir Hospital as shelling continued. International humanitarian law prohibits using civilians and medical facilities in a manner that exposes them to attack, and such behavior may be considered serious violations.

CEASEFIRE AND FORCED EVACUATION

Following the agreement reached on the evening of January 10 with the mediation of international actors, the ceasefire came into force in the early morning of January 11. The agreement facilitated the evacuation of the dead, wounded civilians and the remaining members of the Internal Security Forces from Shêxmeqsûd to areas in northeastern Syria. Then the clashes ended and the Internal Security Forces withdrew from the neighborhood.

While the ceasefire provided temporary relief, the long-term humanitarian and political consequences remain a major concern.

HUMANITARIAN DISASTER

According to local administrative records and documents that have not yet been completed, in the attacks that took place between January 6-10:

a) 47 civilians, including women, children and the elderly, were killed.

b) 133 civilians were injured.

c) At least 276 civilians have disappeared, many of whom are thought to have been arbitrarily detained.

Human rights organizations warn that these figures likely underestimate the actual number of casualties due to restricted access, ongoing detentions and the critical condition of many injured.

The attacks were followed by a mass exodus, with estimates of 148,000 to 155,000 Kurdish civilians being forcibly displaced from the Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo.

FOREIGN ELEMENTS AND DOCUMENTED WAR CRIMES

Foreign fighters played a documented role in the attacks, as confirmed by photos and videos published by the perpetrators themselves. This evidence confirms that serious violations have been committed that may constitute war crimes.

DOCUMENTED CASES:

All visual and witness statements referenced above have been archived, timestamped, and retained to ensure the integrity of the evidence.

*Fighters wearing ISIS emblems who openly participated in the attacks on Şêxmesûd and Eşrefiyê during live media broadcasts.

*Turkish citizen Khalil Yavuz, a member of the Turkish Kurds League, is recorded as boasting about the siege and threatening civilians with death.

*Egyptian citizen Ahmed Mansour was filmed participating in the murder and dismemberment of a female member of the Internal Security Forces. Mansour is also alleged to have been involved in previous massacres committed off the coast of Syria and in Suwayda.

*Samit Dagol (Abdul Samad), a Turkish citizen wanted for links to ISIS and al-Qaeda, posed as a journalist affiliated with Asaib al-Hamra during the attacks.

*Members of the Turkish Kurds Union kidnap Kurdish youths and there are reasonable fears that these young people will be extrajudicially executed.

OTHER DOCUMENTED VIOLATIONS:

* Use of tanks and heavy weapons in densely populated residential areas near Xalid Fajir Hospital

* Direct targeting of the Great Mosque in Şêxmedsûd under false pretexts.

* Dragging, dismembering and destroying corpses accompanied by racist and sectarian insults

*Abuse and humiliation of detained civilians, including families and the elderly

*Testimonies of civilian witnesses describing widespread terror, looting and abuse during the five-day attack

POST-CEASEFIRE CONDITIONS

Despite the ceasefire, Kurdish neighborhoods remain under de facto siege. Arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, harassment and restrictions on movement continue unabated. Humanitarian access remains severely limited, and the presence of extremist militias integrated into state security structures poses a constant threat to civilian security.

INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION AND CALL FOR ACTION

The international community should urgently deploy independent observers to oversee the ceasefire and prevent further violations. Diplomatic recognition and assistance to Syria must be conditioned on the verified protection and political participation of Kurds and other minorities. The March 10 agreement, which protects Kurdish rights, must be fully implemented and extremist militias must be removed from the state security forces. Inclusive political participation of all Syrian communities is essential to achieving lasting peace.