The Syrian army said on Saturday its forces have taken control of Deir Hafer, Maskana and dozens of other towns and villages in eastern Aleppo governorate as Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdraw under an international-brokered agreement, Al Jazeera reported. 

The SDF militia announced on Friday that it would redeploy east of the Euphrates River. This follows talks with US officials, and a pledge from Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to make Kurdish a national language.

After deadly clashes earlier this month, the US urged both sides to avoid a confrontation. Al-Sharaa is seeking to integrate the Kurds' military and civilian bodies into Syrian national institutions.

In a statement to state-run news agency Sana, the Syrian army said its forces "began entering the western Euphrates area", and declared it had established "full military control" of Deir Hafer.

The military urged civilians not to enter the operations area until it is secured and "cleared it of all mines and war remnants".

Images showed Syrian forces advancing towards the area, including with tanks.

The move comes after Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi agreed to pull back his US-backed SDF "towards redeployment in areas east of the Euphrates", responding to "calls from friendly countries and mediators".

In recent days, the Syrian army had urged civilians to flee the Deir Hafer area, with at least 4,000 people leaving, according to Syrian authorities.

Before the Kurdish withdrawal, al-Sharaa said he would make Kurdish a national language and recognize the Kurdish new year as an official holiday.

Despite the apparent easing of tensions, disagreements linger. In response to the decree, the Kurdish administration in Syria's north and north-east said it was "a first step" but called for "permanent constitutions that express the will of the people", rather than "temporary decrees".

Kurdish forces have been controlling swathes of Syria's oil-rich north and north-east, much of it gained during the civil war and the fight against the ISIL terror group over the past decade.

Following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, al-Sharaa has been seeking to integrate the Kurdish bodies into Syrian institutions.
In March 2025, the SDF signed a deal with the government to that effect. Almost a year on, the agreement is still not implemented, with each side blaming the other.