The Syrian military command declared Deir Hafer and Maskana in eastern Aleppo countryside closed military zones on January 13, 2026, urging civilians to stay away from SDF positions and requesting SDF fighters withdraw east of the Euphrates to prevent attacks, according to QalaatAlMudiq in a statement reported over the past hour ending at 10:45 AM UTC. The Defense Ministry sent reinforcements to the eastern Aleppo front after spotting prior SDF movements and reinforcements, as stated by QalaatAlMudiq citing the military command during the 59-minute reporting window from 9:46 AM UTC. Necessary measures will be taken against SDF use of the area, the statement added. Residents of Aleppo's Ashrafiyah neighborhood who fled to Afrin fearing clashes began returning home after a week of deadly conflict between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Reuters reported in the same period. Earlier this morning at around 9:16-9:45 AM UTC, the Syrian Army's Military Operations Authority had similarly declared the areas closed zones and called on civilians to avoid SDF sites, per Al Jazeera Arabic and Verify Syria.
