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Syrian Army Occupies Kurdish Northeast as U.S. Plans Final Troop Pullout

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  • In this Sept. 8, 2019, photo, U.S. soldiers stand near a Turkish armored vehicle during the first American-Turkish joint patrol in the so-called “safe zone” on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey near Tal Abyad, Syria. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
    In this Sept. 8, 2019, photo, U.S. soldiers stand near a Turkish armored vehicle during the first American-Turkish joint patrol in the so-called “safe zone” on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey near Tal Abyad, Syria. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
    Image: Newsweek
    In this Sept. 8, 2019, photo, U.S. soldiers stand near a Turkish armored vehicle during the first American-Turkish joint patrol in the so-called “safe zone” on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey near Tal Abyad, Syria. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) Source Full size
  • None
    None
    Image: Le Monde
    Le Monde Source Full size
  • In this Sept. 8, 2019, photo, U.S. soldiers stand near a Turkish armored vehicle during the first American-Turkish joint patrol in the so-called “safe zone” on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey near Tal Abyad, Syria. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
    In this Sept. 8, 2019, photo, U.S. soldiers stand near a Turkish armored vehicle during the first American-Turkish joint patrol in the so-called “safe zone” on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey near Tal Abyad, Syria. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
    Image: Newsweek
    In this Sept. 8, 2019, photo, U.S. soldiers stand near a Turkish armored vehicle during the first American-Turkish joint patrol in the so-called “safe zone” on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey near Tal Abyad, Syria. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) Source Full size
  • None
    None
    Image: Le Monde
    Le Monde Source Full size
  • Ilham Omar, dans un bureau de la cour de justice de Kamechliyé (Syrie), le 8 février 2026.LAURENT VAN DER STOCKT POUR « LE MONDE »
    Ilham Omar, dans un bureau de la cour de justice de Kamechliyé (Syrie), le 8 février 2026.LAURENT VAN DER STOCKT POUR « LE MONDE »
    Image: Le Monde
    Ilham Omar, dans un bureau de la cour de justice de Kamechliyé (Syrie), le 8 février 2026.LAURENT VAN DER STOCKT POUR « LE MONDE » (LAURENT VAN DER STOCKT POUR « LE MONDE ») Source Full size

Syrian Forces Capture Kurdish‑Run Northeast in Early January Syrian army entered the autonomous northeast at the start of January 2026, reaching key Kurdish towns and signaling the planned dissolution of Kurdish institutions. The advance aligns with a new Islamist coalition that intends to integrate the region into a broader state. The coalition is headed by transitional president Ahmed Al‑Charaa, who seeks to fold the area into an Islamist‑led Syrian state [1].

Kurdish Women Leaders Cite Threat to Gender Equality Laws Under the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), women enjoyed bans on polygamy and child marriage, equal inheritance and testimony rights, and domestic‑violence protections. Activist Ilham Omar, who rescued a girl from forced confinement in 2011, helped draft those statutes and now escorts officials out of seized areas. Omar also conducts night patrols with Community Protection Units as many Kurds flee, underscoring fear that the new regime will overturn these gains [1].

U.S. Sets 60‑Day Timeline for Final Troop Withdrawal senior U.S. official announced that the remaining 1,000 American troops will leave Syria within the next 60 days, ending the last U.S. footprint. The U.S. presence, begun in 2015 to fight ISIS alongside the Kurdish‑led Syrian Democratic Forces, is now deemed unnecessary as Damascus, led by President Ahmed al‑Sharaa, agrees to assume primary counter‑terrorism responsibilities. Some personnel have already departed under a conditions‑based transition, while the remaining forces will continue limited support for partner‑led anti‑ISIS operations [2].

Withdrawal Declared Independent of Recent Iranian‑Backed Attacks CBS News confirmed the pullout is not a response to recent Iranian‑backed attacks that killed two Iowa National Guard members and a translator in Palmyra. The timing follows a long‑standing Trump administration pledge for a full withdrawal, which was only partially fulfilled after internal resistance kept a reduced force in place. The announcement therefore reflects a strategic shift rather than an immediate reaction to regional security incidents [2].

Combined Moves May Accelerate Islamist Consolidation in Syria The simultaneous Syrian army occupation and U.S. exit create a potential power vacuum that could hasten the Islamist coalition’s integration of the Kurdish region. Analysts note that without U.S. backing, Kurdish militias may lack the capacity to resist the coalition’s plans, raising concerns for the preservation of AANES’s gender‑equality statutes. Both reports highlight Ahmed Al‑Charaa’s central role, linking the military takeover and political restructuring under a single leadership [1][2].

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Timeline

Oct 2025 – Hard‑line factions on both sides block the March‑2025 integration talks, keeping the Syrian state and the Kurdish‑led SDF at odds over a federal versus centralized model [28].

Dec 2024 – Interim President Ahmed al‑Sharaa leads a rebel offensive that topples Bashar al‑Assad, creating a new Syrian government that soon seeks to re‑assert control over the northeast [1][2].

Mar 2025 – The Kurdish‑led SDF signs a deal to integrate all its military and civilian institutions into the Syrian state, laying groundwork for future mergers [22].

Dec 11 2025 – U.S. forces shift to cooperate with interim President al‑Sharaa, moving from a Kurdish‑centric strategy to a dual‑track partnership that includes Damascus [25].

Dec 23 2025 – A Turkish delegation arrives in Damascus; clashes erupt in Aleppo as Turkey pushes for SDF integration and warns “Turkey will not tolerate any separatist structures” [26].

Jan 9 2026 – Syria’s Defense Ministry announces a cease‑fire in Aleppo’s Kurdish districts, but fighting continues and Tom Barrack welcomes the pause, seeking an extension [23].

Jan 9 2026 – The Syrian government orders civilians to evacuate Aleppo; tens of thousands flee as Turkish President Erdogan congratulates Damascus and warns against Kurdish separatism [24][9].

Jan 11 2026 – The last SDF fighters withdraw from Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud district, with Mazloum Abdi saying the agreement “secured evacuation via mediation” [22].

Jan 11 2026 – First responders enter contested Aleppo neighborhoods after days of deadly clashes that left at least 23 dead and displaced over 140 000 people [21].

Jan 17 2026 – Syrian troops move into Deir Hafer following a Kurdish redeployment east of the Euphrates; President al‑Sharaa’s decree declares Kurdish a national language and recognises Nowruz as a holiday [20].

Jan 17 2026 – U.S. forces complete their withdrawal from Iraq’s Ain al‑Asad base, ending the phased pull‑out tied to the broader coalition wind‑down [19].

Jan 18 2026 – Syrian army seizes the Omar oil field, Syria’s largest, and nearby gas fields, marking a major shift in energy control [17].

Jan 18 2026 – Government forces capture the Tabqa city and Euphrates Dam, while the SDF disputes the loss and claims security has been restored [18].

Jan 18 2026 – A rapid two‑day offensive brings Syrian troops into Aleppo, Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, displacing Kurdish forces and securing dams and oil fields for Damascus [16].

Jan 19 2026 – The cease‑fire unravels as clashes erupt around Shaddadeh and al‑Aqtan prisons; Turkish President Erdogan urges “immediate cease‑fire compliance” [14].

Jan 19 2026 – Despite the 14‑point cease‑fire, fighting continues; President Ahmed al‑Sharaa urges “unity and centralised decision‑making” as government troops advance [15].

Jan 20 2026 – Both sides announce a four‑day cease‑fire; Tom Barrack says the SDF’s anti‑ISIS role “has largely expired” and urges integration into state forces [12].

Jan 21 2026 – The SDF calls for urgent international aid as Damascus presses forward, while Barrack reiterates that the SDF’s original mission is over [11].

Jan 21 2026 – The U.S. begins moving up to 7 000 IS detainees to Iraq; Admiral Brad Cooper tells al‑Sharaa the transfer must proceed without disruption [5].

Jan 22 2026 – UNHCR assumes management of al‑Hol camp after the SDF withdraws, but a UN spokesman warns conditions remain “tense and volatile” [3].

Jan 22 2026 – Sharaa’s government completes a rapid seizure of the Kurdish‑held northeast, issuing a decree that grants Kurdish citizenship, makes Kurdish a national language and declares Nowruz a holiday [4].

Jan 23 2026 – Turkish President Erdogan congratulates the Syrian government on defeating the SDF, stating Turkey “will not tolerate any separatist structures” [9].

Jan 24 2026 – Syria’s defense ministry extends the cease‑fire by 15 days, saying the extension backs the U.S. operation to transfer roughly 7 000 IS militants to Iraq [8].

Jan 26 2026 – The United States presses Damascus to preserve SDF counter‑ISIS capabilities, warning that “SDF’s established human‑intelligence networks cannot be replicated overnight” [27].

Jan 29 2026 – Kurdish forces retreat as the U.S. backs interim President al‑Sharaa; commander Azad calls the shift “a slap in the face” for the Kurds [2].

Jan 30 2026 – The Syrian government and SDF sign an integration deal that creates a three‑brigade division, transfers the Omar oil field and Tabqa dam to Damascus, and grants Kurdish cultural rights; Tom Barrack calls the pact “a profound and historic milestone” [1].

Feb 4 2026 – Syrian Interior Ministry units roll into Qamishli to secure civil‑registry offices, the airport and other state facilities, with spokesperson Nour al‑Din al‑Baba pledging coordination with “the other side” [7].

Feb 5 2026 – President Ahmed Al‑Charaa imposes an accord that dissolves the autonomous Rojava region, ending Kurdish self‑rule after twelve years [30].

Feb 19 2026 – A senior U.S. official announces the withdrawal of the remaining 1 000 American troops from Syria, to be completed within 60 days, citing Damascus’ willingness to lead counter‑terrorism [6].

Mid‑Apr 2026 (planned) – The U.S. withdrawal is slated to finish, ending the last American footprint in Syria [6].

Future (ongoing) – The Syrian government plans to fully integrate former SDF fighters individually into the national army and interior ministry, while the United States continues to relocate up to 7 000 IS detainees to Iraqi facilities [8][5].

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