Syrian Army Expands Control in Northeast Amid Deadly Drone Attack and Camp Takeover
Syrian Army Expands Control in Northeast Amid Deadly Drone Attack and Camp Takeover
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Syrian government forces have expanded their presence across northeastern Syria this week under a tentative agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as clashes and security incidents underscored the fragility of the transition.
According to The Guardian, the Syrian Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that seven soldiers were killed and 20 wounded in a drone attack in Hasakah province near the Iraqi border. According to the ministry, the attack targeted a facility near the al-Yaarubiyah crossing that Syrian forces had identified as a site for manufacturing explosives and drone munitions. The ministry accused the SDF of carrying out the strike using a suicide drone during a clearance operation. The SDF has not publicly responded to the allegation.
The incident came as Syrian troops deployed across the Jazira region, including Hasakah, Qamishli, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, following an agreement intended to restore state control. As part of the shift, Syrian forces also took control of the al-Hawl detention camp after SDF units withdrew. The camp houses about 24,000 people from 42 nationalities, mostly relatives of suspected Islamic State (IS) fighters, and has long been viewed by security experts as a potential breeding ground for extremism.
Damascus accused the SDF of withdrawing from detention facilities without adequate safeguards, leading to detainee escapes from al-Shaddadi prison, a claim denied by the Kurdish force. The takeover coincided with the US military beginning transfers of IS detainees from northeastern Syria to secure facilities in Iraq.
Fighting between Syrian forces and the SDF paused this week under a four-day ceasefire linked to a proposed 14-point agreement that would see the SDF integrate into the Syrian military. Officials warned that hostilities could resume if the deal is not implemented.
