Syria fighting live: SDF braces for Raqqa assault as gov’t troops march on

Al JazeeraEN 1 min read 100% complete by Faisal AliJanuary 18, 2026 at 07:15 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

On January 18, 2026, the Syrian military announced it had seized the strategic town of Tabqah from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as it advances toward Raqqa in northern Syria. The military reported heavy clashes east of Deir Az Zor, stating its forces are in full control of Deir Hafer and have captured the Jarrah airbase. Currently, Syrian troops are reportedly clearing mines and explosives in the captured areas. The Syrian government's advance is part of a broader effort to regain control of key cities and strategic locations in the region. The SDF is bracing for a potential assault on Raqqa.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Faisal Ali 30% Jarrah airbase 40% Deir Hafer 40% Deir Az Zor 50% Tabqah 60% Syrian Army 70% Syria ×280% Raqqa ×280% Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) ×390%

Keywords

syria fighting 100% sdf 90% raqqa assault 80% syrian army 70% tabqah 60% military advance 50% deir az zor 50% jarrah airbase 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Classification Confidence

85%

Geographic Perspective

Raqqa

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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syria fighting sdf raqqa assault syrian army tabqah military advance deir az zor jarrah airbase

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