Syrian army takes control of western Euphrates

The Syrian army took control of the west of the Euphrates River, after controlling the city of Tabqa and the Euphrates Dam southwest of Raqqa, after several hours of clashes, at dawn on Sunday, January 18.

Enab Baladi’s correspondent, who is accompanying the operations in the vicinity of the city of Raqqa, reported the control of the army over the city of Tabqa, quoting a military source involved in the operation.

The Syrian army did not enter the city of Raqqa or the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, and only took control of its western bank.

While tribal forces launch attacks east of the Euphrates in Deir ez-Zor, without official intervention from the army.

The capture of Tabqa comes a few hours after he took control of the Tabqa military airport, and the “expulsion” of what he called “terrorist PKK militias” in reference to the “Syrian Democratic Forces” (SDF).

The city of Tabqa is one of the most important strongholds of the SDF, about 55 kilometers from the city of Raqqa, while it is about 165 kilometers from the city of Aleppo.

The Euphrates Dam is also one of the most important water dams that feed the region with electricity, and the organization of irrigation lines.

Despite the SDF’s denial of control of Mansoura, the “News” channel broadcast a video that it said was from inside the city adjacent to the city of Tabqa.

Earlier yesterday evening, the army took control of the “Mansoura” dam (formerly the Baath), in addition to the towns of Ratla and Hamam in the countryside of Raqqa, thus becoming less than five kilometers from the western entrance to the city of Raqqa.

He also controlled the villages and towns of Al-Akirishiya and Al-Shanan.

This progress comes from the city of Deir Hafer, east of Aleppo, as an extension of the city of Maskana and up to the villages, towns and cities in the countryside of Raqqa.

In the context, the Information Department of the Ministry of Defense announced its communication of 483 elements of the “SDF” through figures previously published to coordinate with them for defection, confirming the insurance of 181 of them.

The process began a few days ago, and aimed to control Deir Hafer, to announce the leader of the “SDF” Mazloum Abdi, the withdrawal of his forces to the east of the Euphrates, on January 17, based on calls from friendly countries and mediators, and to show good faith in the completion of the merger process and commitment to implement the terms of the March 10 agreement.

According to the agreement announced by Abdi, the withdrawal begins on the morning of January 18, at 7 a.m.

The announcement, according to Abdi, comes in response to what it described as calls from friendly countries and mediators, and good faith aimed at completing the process of integration and adherence to the terms of the March 10th agreement.

In a statement, the Syrian Defense Ministry welcomed the decision to withdraw the SDF from the seam points west of the Euphrates.

She stressed that she will follow up the implementation of the withdrawal with all equipment and personnel towards the east of the Euphrates, in parallel with the start of the deployment of Syrian army units in the region, in order to secure them and impose the sovereignty of the state, in preparation for the return of the people to their homes and villages and the return of state institutions.