A US convoy reached the center of Deir Hafer east of Aleppo, Syria, where the SDF War Observatory aired live broadcasts featuring Rohalat Afrin fighters and International Coalition personnel between 11:46 AM and 12:45 PM UTC on January 16, 2026, according to X posts by BarracudaVol1 and SDF channels. Channel 8 correspondent Badran Jia Kurd accompanied Rohalat Afrin with a delegation in Deir Hafer during this period, as stated by the SDF War Observatory. Separately, Syria's army announced an invitation for SDF Kurds and Arabs to defect by approaching the nearest Syrian Arab Army checkpoint, per an X post quoting the military statement. The US convoy presence in Deir Hafer center follows a first convoy's arrival there earlier, as reported in the prior period by Welat TV Arabia, amid ongoing International Coalition and SDF movements from Tabqa toward the area per North Press Agency.
