The Syrian Army has announced the complete capture of the Tabqa military airport, expelling what it described as “PKK militias.” This follows an earlier announcement that Syrian forces had begun entering the strategic city of Tabqa, located on the Euphrates River in the Raqqa province of northeastern Syria, after seizing control of several surrounding towns and villages.
According to a statement from the Syrian Army Operations Command, forces have also secured the Al-Mansoura Dam (formerly the Ba’ath Dam), and the towns of Ratla and Al-Hamam in the Raqqa countryside. They are now reportedly less than five kilometers from the western entrance of Raqqa city.
The army stated its forces were entering Tabqa from multiple axes, simultaneously encircling PKK fighters inside the Tabqa military airport. This significant development comes after a series of advances, including the capture of several villages around the city of Al-Rasafah in the Raqqa countryside. The Syrian Army has called on SDF leadership to completely withdraw to the east of the Euphrates River, and urged residents of Raqqa to stay away from SDF positions.
Earlier reports indicated the Syrian Army had seized control of the towns and villages of Al-Ghanem Al-Ali, Al-Mansoura, and Rajm al-Ghazal, as well as the Al-Hajjana military base, bringing them closer to Tabqa in the Raqqa countryside.
The SDF has claimed that the western Raqqa countryside is under continuous artillery and rocket bombardment, reporting fierce clashes with the Syrian Army on the Dipsi Afnan axis and around Al-Rasafah. These events follow the entry of Syrian security units into Maskana in the eastern Aleppo countryside, purportedly to protect civilians and infrastructure, according to the Ministry of Interior. This occurred hours after the army entered the city of Deir Hafer following the withdrawal of the SDF.
The Syrian Army further stated it had seized the Shuaib al-Dhikr bridge west of Raqqa after surprising PKK forces, before the “militias” detonated it. Control was also established over seven villages surrounding the Al-Rasafah area and its citadel, tightening the noose around the SDF at Tabqa airport.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports suggest the Syrian Army has initiated operations against SDF positions in Deir ez-Zor.
