Displaced Syrians at a river crossing near the village of Jarirat al Imam, in the eastern Aleppo countryside, near the front line with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in Deir Hafer, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)

Many of the civilians who fled used side roads to reach government-held areas because the main highway was blocked with barriers at a checkpoint that previously was controlled by the Kurdish-led and U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, Associated Press journalists observed.

Specialized engineering teams from Syria’s Ministry of Interior dismantled a car bomb parked on a main street in Deir Hafer, eastern

The Syrian army is moving to take control of areas previously held by the SDF in the governorate of Aleppo. Its forces have taken control of Deir Hafer, some 50km (30 miles) east of the city of Aleppo, after the SDF announced it would start withdrawing from its strongholds in the city.

Scores of people have fled to government-held areas in northern Syria. Syrian state TV reported Friday that about 4,000 people had relocated ahead of a possible attack by Syrian troops

Following their deployment in the city of Deir Hafer and securing all its neighborhoods, units of the Syrian Ministry of Interior

Delays with implementation of last year’s deal, which was supposed to see the Kurdish-led SDF integrating with the Syrian Ministry of Defence by the end of 2025, led to fierce clashes in Aleppo this month that left at least 23 people dead, according to Syria’s Ministry of Health.

US envoy Tom Barrack says talks to de-escalate Syria tensions continue as the army prepares an offensive and civilians flee SDF-held areas.