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Most of the oil in government hands/ Syrian army takes some Kurdish-controlled territories

2026-01-18 17:29:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Most of the oil in government hands/ Syrian army takes some Kurdish-controlled

The Syrian army, within two days, aided by tribal militia, has expelled Kurdish forces from large areas of northern Syria that they have held for more than a decade.

Among the cities and towns reported to have fallen is Raqqa, once the infamous capital of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) Caliphate.

Much of Syria's oil wealth is also under government control for the first time in more than a decade.

What led to this confrontation?

The surprise attack on Kurdish-held areas follows clashes earlier this month in the city of Aleppo and surrounding countryside, the latest episodes in a tense standoff between the central government and the SDF. The SDF is a US-backed group that was not part of the rebel alliance that toppled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

On Friday, the SDF agreed to withdraw from the Aleppo area on the east bank of the Euphrates River, the first territorial concession it has made to the new government.

But starting on Saturday, the Syrian army entered areas not covered by the agreement, and Kurdish forces appear to have retreated in disarray. The Syrian army's advance in several regions has deprived the SDF of control over both mineral wealth and rich agricultural land.

What have Syrian forces seized?

The army and allied tribes have taken most of the provinces of Aleppo, Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, which border Iraq, and Arab militias have also made advances in the Kurdish-controlled province of Hasakah.

In the process, troops have taken control of two hydroelectric dams on the Euphrates, according to the Syrian Ministry of Energy. The largest of these provides most of the country's drinking water and, once renovated, could provide about 900 megawatts of electricity.

The Syrian army has also taken control of oil and gas fields in Deir Ezzor province, including the largest, called al-Omar, as well as the al-Tanak and Conoco fields, according to officials. /CNA