Tribal fighters captured Qahtaniya, Rabia and Havi al-Hawa west of Raqqa city and entered the Al-Mishlab neighborhood from the east between 10:46 AM and 11:15 AM UTC on January 18, 2026, according to BarracudaVol1 on X. DeirEzzore reported on X that Al-Mishlab is outside PKK control amid street fighting in Raqqa city. BarracudaVol1 stated on X that tribal warriors raided SDF/YPG headquarters in Hemrat with no enemy presence visible. DeirEzzore noted on X that more than 10 towns in the western and eastern countryside of Raqqa are out of PKK control. Nahr Media posted aerial footage on X showing residents celebrating Syrian Army control of Tabqa city west of Raqqa. SimNasr shared images on X of the eastern entrance to Raqqa city. BarracudaVol1 reported an entrance to Raqqa city center. Omar_alharir posted images on X of a church in Al-Tabqa converted into a PKK headquarters with tunnels and drone facilities. DeirEzzore reported on X the capture of PKK prisoners by Syrian Army on the Al-Zamala axis and ongoing activity in Shash Al-Boubna and Mastaha Mountains near Tishreen Dam. DeirEzzor24 stated on X that Arab tribes control Dhiban town east of Deir ez-Zor. Thenewregion reported on X that SDF chief Mazloum Abdi called for public support amid escalating violence with Damascus, according to affiliated media. These developments follow tribal captures of villages around Raqqa earlier this morning, as previously reported.
