The Syrian Army announced today that Maskaneh and Deir Hafer, located in the eastern Aleppo countryside, are now designated as closed military zones. This declaration comes amid accusations leveled against the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) of mobilizing military groups in the area. Simultaneously, reports are surfacing alleging the SDF has destroyed three strategic bridges.
According to a statement released by the Syrian Army’s military operations command, armed groups present in Maskaneh and Deir Hafer are being ordered to withdraw to the east of the Euphrates River. The command further alleges that Iranian-made drones are being launched from these areas, targeting civilians in Aleppo, northern Syria.
“The army will take all necessary measures to prevent armed groups massing in this region from using it as a launchpad for criminal military operations,” the statement emphasized. Civilians are being urged to stay away from the designated zones and their surrounding areas for their safety.
The Syrian Army claims the SDF is assembling military reinforcements in Deir Hafer and Maskaneh, allegedly including remnants of forces loyal to the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad, as well as fighters affiliated with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party).
In related news, reports indicate the destruction of three bridges connecting SDF-controlled territories with areas under government control in Deir Hafer, east of Aleppo.
Syrian state media reports that the SDF detonated the bridge near the village of Umm Tinah, on the outskirts of Deir Hafer. Details regarding the other two bridges remain unconfirmed. The state media emphasized the strategic importance of the damaged bridge, noting that it served as a vital link between SDF and Syrian government-controlled areas.
Earlier this week, the Syrian Army’s operations command reported observing the arrival of additional armed groups to SDF deployment points in the eastern Aleppo countryside, following recent clashes in the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsood neighborhoods. The army characterized this movement as a dangerous escalation, warning that any military action by these groups would be met with a forceful response. Reinforcements were reportedly dispatched to eastern Aleppo following the observed increase in SDF presence in the region.
The SDF has denied the Syrian Ministry of Defense’s accusations of deploying military reinforcements to the Deir Hafer front.
