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Syrian Army Declares Eastern Aleppo Towns Military Zones After Deadly Clashes
Syrian army declares Maskana and Deir Hafer closed military zones, accusing SDF of regrouping and launching drone attacks as civilian casualties rise in eastern Aleppo.
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-13
Syrian Army Declares Eastern Aleppo Towns Military Zones After Deadly Clashes

The Syrian army has declared Maskana and Deir Hafer in the eastern countryside of Aleppo as closed military zones, citing security threats following days of intense fighting and the withdrawal of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters from parts of the city.

Quoting a military source, Syrian state media reported on Tuesday that the SDF destroyed three key bridges linking areas under its control with government-held territories east of Aleppo, a move that reportedly followed deadly clashes inside Aleppo city and the subsequent departure of SDF fighters from several neighbourhoods.

In a statement, the Syrian Army Operations Authority accused the SDF of regrouping in rural Aleppo and warned armed groups in Maskana and Deir Hafer to withdraw east of the Euphrates River. The authority further alleged that Iranian-made drones were being launched from the two areas to target civilian neighbourhoods in Aleppo.

The army claimed that SDF forces were assembling alongside militias linked to the remnants of the ousted regime of former president Bashar al-Assad, as well as fighters from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK had last year announced the withdrawal of its forces from Türkiye to northern Iraq as part of a peace process that ended a four-decade conflict.

“The army will take all necessary measures to prevent armed groups from using this area as a launching pad for criminal military operations,” the statement said, urging civilians to stay away from Maskana, Deir Hafer and their surrounding areas.

Earlier, the official Syrian news agency SANA broadcast footage showing army reinforcements moving toward deployment lines east of Aleppo. The agency quoted the Army Operations Authority as saying it had observed the arrival of additional armed groups at SDF deployment points in the eastern Aleppo countryside.

The SDF, however, denied the Syrian Ministry of Defence’s accusations, stating that it had not deployed forces to the Deir Hafer front. It said there were no unusual military movements in the area, adding that recent gatherings involved civilians from northern and eastern Syria who had assembled to receive wounded individuals evacuated from the Kurdish neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh in Aleppo.

The withdrawal of fighters marks the end of SDF control over remaining pockets in Aleppo, which it had held since the outbreak of Syria’s conflict in 2011.

According to Syrian health authorities, at least 24 civilians were killed and 129 wounded in SDF attacks since last Tuesday. Munir al-Mohammad, media director at Aleppo’s health directorate, said the casualties resulted from repeated strikes on civilian areas.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported a higher toll, stating that 45 civilians were killed along with 60 soldiers and fighters from both sides amid the escalating violence.

The situation in eastern Aleppo remains tense as military reinforcements continue to arrive and fears grow of further escalation in the region.
Tagged:

Syria

MiddleEast

Aleppo

SyrianArmy

SDF
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