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Last Updated:January 18, 2026, 19:27 IST
The pullback on Sunday comes amid government advances in Syria’s north and east following months of stalled negotiations over Kurdish integration into the state.
Syrian military reinforcements arrive via the international M4 highway to the Dayr Hafir area, east of Aleppo city. (AFP photo)
Kurdish-led forces on Sunday withdrew from Syria’s largest oil field, Al-Omar, as well as the Tanak oil field, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The pullback on Sunday comes amid government advances in Syria’s north and east following months of stalled negotiations over Kurdish integration into the state.
Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the SOHR, told news agency AFP that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew “from all areas under its control in the eastern Deir Ezzor countryside," including territories in Raqa province.
The vacated areas are now effectively under government control, the Observatory added.
Al-Omar, Syria’s largest oil field, has been under Kurdish-led control since 2017 after Islamic State forces were expelled. The withdrawal follows government claims of regaining Safyan and Al-Tharwa oil fields in Raqa province.
Response
The withdrawal follows renewed clashes earlier this month in Aleppo, when government troops took control of three Kurdish-held neighbourhoods. Turkey welcomed Damascus’ advance, while imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called it as an attempt to undermine ongoing peace talks with Ankara.
Earlier today, France’s President Emmanuel Macron also spoke with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, calling for a permanent ceasefire and urging integration of the SDF into the Syrian state.
“I conveyed to him our concern about the escalation in Syria and the continuation of the offensive carried out by the Syrian authorities," the French President wrote on X, adding, “A permanent ceasefire is necessary, and an agreement must be reached on integrating the (Kurdish-led) Syrian Democratic Forces into the Syrian state."
US Retaliatory Strikes
Meanwhile, the US carried out its third round of retaliatory strikes in Syria, killing Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated leader linked to last month’s ambush that killed two US soldiers and an American civilian interpreter.
US Central Command said al-Jasim “was directly connected" to the December 13 attack. Admiral Brad Cooper said the strike demonstrates America’s commitment to pursuing those who attack US personnel. The operation is part of broader US efforts to target Islamic State remnants following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
First Published:
January 18, 2026, 19:27 IST
News world US Strikes Kill Al-Qaeda-Linked Leader, Kurdish Forces Leave Syria's Largest Oil Field | Top Updates
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