2026 northeastern Syria offensive

2026 northeastern Syria offensive
	Part of the SDF–Syrian transitional government clashes (2025–present), the Arab tribal insurgency in Eastern Syria of the Syrian conflict
	; Military situation in northeastern Syria on 20 January, prior to the ceasefire
Date	13 – 30 January 2026; (2 weeks and 3 days)
Location	Northeastern Syria Aleppo Governorate; Raqqa Governorate; Deir ez-Zor Governorate; Al-Hasakah Governorate;
Status	Ceasefire; Ceasefire on 18 January; renewed clashes lead to a second ceasefire on 20 January; ceasefire enforced on 22 January and extended for 15 days, with small-scale clashes ocurring until 27 January; Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are to be integrated individually into the Syrian Army and security forces; Civilian institutions in Al-Hasakah Governorate are to be integrated into the Syrian state, which will also assume control of international border crossings, oil and gas fields, and prisoner-of-war camps for Islamic State members; The Syrian government and the SDF reached a comprehensive deal including a ceasefire, gradual integration, and the deployment of Interior Ministry forces in al-Hasakah and Qamishli;
Territorial; changes	Syrian government forces capture Dayr Hafir, Maskanah, Al-Tabqah, Al-Hawl, Al-Yaarubiyah, Tell Hamis, Khatuniyah, Sarrin, the eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside and parts of Raqqa; Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor Governorates are ceded to the Syrian transitional government as part of a ceasefire agreement;
Belligerents
Syrian transitional government; Supported by:; Turkey Arab Tribal and Clan Forces	Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria Kurdistan Workers' Party (claimed by Syrian transitional government and Turkey)
Commanders and leaders
Ahmed al-Sharaa; Murhaf Abu Qasra; Ali Noureddine al-Naasan; Anwar al-Saleh al-Hamoud; Anas Khattab	Mazloum Abdi; Ferhad Şamî; Sipan Hamo Bahoz Erdal (per Syrian transitional government and Turkey)
Units involved
Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Army 66th Division; 72nd Division; 76th Division; 80th Division; ; ; Ministry of Interior General Security Service; ; Arab Tribal forces al-Buhamad clan; Al-Uqaydat Al-Busraya; ; Al-Baggara; Shammar tribes Al-Sanadid Forces; ; ;	Syrian Democratic Forces People's Defense Units; Women's Protection Units Şehid Ayaz Battalion; ; Martyr Haroun Units; Military Councils; ; Asayish Raqqa Internal Security Forces; ;
Casualties and losses
	c. 1,000 combatants killed overall; 152 civilians killed and 322 injured (as of 18 January)

On 13 January 2026, the Syrian transitional government launched an offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the territories of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES). Initially focused on eastern Aleppo Governorate, around the towns of Deir Hafer and Maskanah, the offensive expanded on 17 January to Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and Al-Hasakah Governorates.

On 18 January, the Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa unilaterally announced a 14-point ceasefire agreement with the SDF, negotiated through the US envoy Tom Barrack, under which the SDF is set to be integrated into the Syrian government, and the governorates of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor immediately handed over to the government, together with the administration of prisoner-of-war camps for Islamic State members, all border crossings and oil fields. The SDF commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi acknowledged the agreement later that day, saying that he would visit Damascus to discuss the deal. Clashes persisted the next day, with both sides accusing the other of violating the ceasefire. Media outlets reported that the meeting between Abdi and al-Sharaa had gone poorly, with no agreement being reached.

On 20 January, the Syrian government announced a ceasefire, starting at 20:00 local time. The army would not enter the city centres of al-Hasakah and Qamishli or Kurdish villages. Sharaa granted the SDF four days to work out an integration plan. On 24 January, after initial disclaimers, the Syrian government declared a 15-day extension of the ceasefire, effective from 23:00 local time, to support the US operation to transfer Islamic State detainees from SDF prisons to Iraq. On 30 January, the government announced that it had reached a comprehensive agreement with the SDF, which includes a ceasefire, gradual military and administrative integration, and the deployment of Interior Ministry forces in al-Hasakah and Qamishli.