Syrian Arab Army forces took full control of Gharanij from SDF, while large YPG convoys departed central Raqqa between 10:16 PM and 10:45 PM UTC on January 17, 2026, according to xumas_iq and mintelworld on X. The Syrian Ministry of Defense published the number of SDF members who contacted designated numbers to secure their defection, as stated by its Department of Media and Communications and reported by DeirEzzore on X during the period. This follows Syrian army advances including control of Al-Maqs southern entrance, Kesrat Faraj, and Mansoura Dam earlier on January 17, per previous reports from Raqqa_SL, BarracudaVol1, SANA, and QalaatAlMudiq. In Deir ez-Zor, fighters from Al-Shaitat village declared readiness to fight YPG, according to mintelworld on X. Separately, Syrian Finance Minister Muhammad Yusser Barneyah met with Raqqa Finance Director Ahmed Haj Ismail to prepare reopening the Directorate of Finance offices, directing acceleration of institutional needs and staffing, as announced by AlekhbariahSY on X. American sources indicated the Syrian government proposed a 12-item surrender to PKK in Erbil yesterday, including integration into the Syrian army per a March 10 agreement, according to DeirEzzore on X.
