The Operations Command of the Syrian Arab Army announced full military control over Deir Hafir city east of Aleppo, Syria, in a statement posted at approximately 8:10 AM UTC on January 17, 2026, during the past 29 minutes. Forces are securing the city and clearing mines and war remnants, with operations advancing toward Maskanah and Dabsat Afnan areas. The announcement, shared via X by omar_alharir, follows Syrian army entry into Deir Hafir after Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrawal, as reported by Al Jazeera and Al-Arabi TV correspondents in prior hours. Army convoys reinforced positions in Deir Hafir and Maskanah during the 5:45 to 7:45 AM UTC periods. Channel8 reported that a meeting between Abdi and Barrack will occur under the efforts of the Kurdistan Region Presidency to address growing frictions between the SDF and the Damascus government, according to a post shared within the reporting window from 7:45 AM UTC. These developments build on a statement to the Kurdish people shared earlier by analyst Hx Hassan on X, guaranteeing their rights and calling for unity in Syria amid the SDF pullback to northeast Syria.
