The Syrian army has seized control of the country's largest oil field from Kurdish-led forces, marking a major shift in north-eastern Syria. Syrian troops captured the Omar facility and nearby gas fields on Sunday after the Syrian Democratic Forces withdrew east of the Euphrates River, dealing a significant blow to the SDF's primary revenue source.
The army also took control of the strategic Tabqa dam over the weekend, entering the town on Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, confirmed the SDF's pullback from the Omar and Tanak oil fields early Sunday morning.
The advance follows the breakdown of an agreement signed in March 2025 between the SDF and the Syrian government. The deal aimed to integrate Kurdish military and civilian bodies into national institutions, but remains unimplemented almost a year later. Both sides blame each other for the failure.
Failed Ceasefire Efforts
The SDF announced its withdrawal following talks with US officials, who have attempted to broker a ceasefire between the two sides. The ongoing fighting persists despite these American mediation efforts.
Syrian authorities accused the SDF of destroying two bridges across the Euphrates River, including the new al-Rashid bridge in Raqqa. Deadly clashes erupted in the northern city of Aleppo last week, killing at least 12 people.
Kurdish Integration Push
President Ahmed al-Sharaa is seeking to integrate Kurdish bodies into Syrian institutions even as fighting continues. On Friday, he issued a decree recognizing Kurdish as a national language and declaring the Kurdish new year an official holiday.
The move represents the first formal recognition of Kurdish national rights since Syria gained independence in 1946. Longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad was ousted in late 2024.
The SDF gained control of oil-rich territories in northern and north-eastern Syria over the past decade during the fight against the Islamic State group. The US supports both the Syrian government and the SDF, complicating mediation efforts.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
