Syria’s army has seized swathes of the country’s north, dislodging Kurdish forces from territory over which they held effective autonomy for more than a decade.
The government appeared to be extending its grip on Kurdish-run areas after President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree declaring Kurdish a “national language” and granting the minority group official recognition.
The army drove Kurdish forces from two Aleppo neighborhoods last week and took control of an area east of the city on Saturday, after implementation stalled on a March deal that was supposed to see Kurdish forces integrated into the state.
On Sunday, the government announced the capture of Tabqa, about 55 kilometres (34 miles) west of Raqa.
Authorities had earlier announced they had seized two oil fields near the city of Tabqa in Raqa province.
The SANA news agency reported Sunday that the SDF destroyed two bridges over the Euphrates in Raqa city, which lies on the eastern bank of the river. (AFP)
