Syrian Arab Army forces crossed the Euphrates River into Al-Husseiniyah town west of Deir ez-Zor city and advanced towards Hatla, Salhiya, and Mazloum between 12:16 AM and 12:45 AM UTC on January 18, 2026, while an entire SDF regiment defected in Hawaij Al-Bumsa’a west of Deir ez-Zor, according to DeirEzzore and Nahr_Media on X. HussamHamoud on X confirmed Syrian army entry into the Al-Hussein area west of the Euphrates in Deir ez-Zor countryside during the period. Nahr_Media correspondent reported the defection in Hawaij Al-Bumsa’a. These developments follow Syrian army crossing into Al-Husseiniyah and tribal liberation of Hawaij Al-Bumsa’a earlier between 11:46 PM on January 17 and 12:15 AM UTC on January 18, as previously reported. Syrian Ministry of Defense urged SDF members to join army ranks in a statement posted by Sy_Defense on X during the window. Separately, DeirEzzore on X reported Syrian army bombing targets of PKK sites around Raqqa city in the past 29 minutes.
