Tribes from BPH conducted a minor attack on the Ayn Issa frontline between 11:16 PM and 11:45 PM UTC on January 18, 2026, cutting off the M4 road from Şekerek silos and prompting YPG forces to evacuate a defense line and regroup in Ayn Isa city center, where a large number of YPG members remain, according to hakikatsizler on X. Syrian army and Internal Security Forces launched extensive pursuit and combing operations in Raqqa neighborhoods during the same period, targeting PKK snipers responsible for killing over 30 civilians and injuring nearly 100, with drones participating and a number of snipers neutralized, as reported by DeirEzzore on X. Forces were observed on 23 February Street in central Raqqa. Zino Yasser Mahameed reported on X the arrest of Qasadiya snipers in Raqqa for the sake of national cohesion. Convoys were observed leaving Ayn Issa, per hakikatsizler. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham stated on X that no detailed analysis of the recent Syrian-SDF ceasefire agreement has been received by senators, raising questions about negotiations with regional partners like Turkey and Israel, and emphasizing U.S. national security interests in partnership with the SDF against ISIS resurgence. These developments follow prior reports of Syrian Defense Minister inspections of the ceasefire, tribal seizures in al-Jarniyah, and SDF actions in Raqqa including casualties in Tal Majdal, as noted in updates from earlier on January 18.
