Tribal fighters captured Al-Karamah, Jadidat, Al-Ahwas, Al-Shaher, Judaydat Ghayt and Kabsh Garbi villages east and west of Raqqa city between 10:16 AM and 10:45 AM UTC on January 18, 2026, advancing on multiple axes toward the city to complete Raqqa Governorate liberation, according to omar_alharir, DeirEzzore and BarracudaVol1 on X. Aerial footage confirmed Syrian Arab Army control of the Euphrates Dam in Tabqa city, Raqqa countryside, as posted by DeirEzzore on X during this period. The entire western Raqqa countryside from Kadiran Dam to Al-Khatuniyah became empty of SDF militia and fell under local control, Raqqa_SL reported on X. Tribal fighters cleared Judaydat Ghayt of YPG presence, per mintelworld on X. Omar_alharir on X detailed current battle axes approaching Raqqa from east via Raqqat Samra, Al-Hamrat, Al-Karamah and Khas Ajil; west via Hawi Al-Hawa, Al-Khatouniyah, Al-Salhabiyah and Al-Jarniyah; north via Hattin Farm, Government Farm, Tel Al-Saman and Ain Issa; and another northern axis via Al-Ruhayat, Al-Kalta, Al-Abbara and Khunayz. BarracudaVol1 reported tribal capture of Kerame and a US A-10 low-altitude flight over Shaddadi. Local clans took over YPG bases, posts and checkpoints in Deir ez-Zor areas including al-Bousseira overnight, SimNasr stated on X. Syrian Army crossed a bridge in Deir ez-Zor at night, as shown in footage by SimNasr. Zaino Yasser Mahamid shared images of the atmosphere in Shaddadi on Telegram. These advances follow Syrian Army capture of Al-Qashla west of Tishreen Dam earlier between 9:46 AM and 10:15 AM UTC, per previous DeirEzzore reports on X.
