US military convoy arrives east of Aleppo amid rising tensions between Damascus, SDF

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A convoy of US armored vehicles has arrived in Deir Hafer, east of Aleppo, amid escalating tensions between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and armed factions affiliated with Damascus, according to footage obtained by Rudaw.

An SDF official told Rudaw that the US military convoy, consisting of six armored vehicles, reached Deir Hafer to conduct a “military patrol.”

“An SDF force is accompanying this coalition convoy,” the official said, adding that the convoy traveled from the city of Tabqa to eastern Aleppo.

Footage shows a convoy of US armored vehicles traveling from Tabqa toward Deir Hafer, east of Aleppo, amid escalating tensions between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and armed factions affiliated with Damascus. pic.twitter.com/OMWuhqmvMB

— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) January 16, 2026 The deployment comes after US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said Washington is in close contact with all parties in Syria to prevent further escalation and revive integration talks between Damascus and the SDF, as violence and political tensions continue to grip the country’s northeast.

The SDF serves as the de facto military force in Rojava and is the main on-the-ground partner of the US-led Global Coalition that defeated ISIS territorially in Syria in 2019.

Deadly clashes erupted last week in Aleppo’s Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsood after the Syrian Arab Army and allied armed groups launched a large-scale operation to seize areas that had been controlled for nearly 15 years by the Kurdish Internal Security Forces (Asayish), an affiliate of the SDF.

Following the implementation of a ceasefire in Aleppo, Syria’s military Operations Command on Tuesday declared additional Kurdish-held areas - Deir Hafer, Maskanah, and surrounding districts in eastern Aleppo - “closed military zones.”

These areas, currently under SDF control, have recently been flashpoints for Damascus-aligned factions. Capturing them would allow the Syrian government to open a logistical corridor linking Aleppo to Raqqa province and intensify military pressure on the SDF along the Euphrates River.

Control of eastern Aleppo would be strategically significant, enabling Damascus and its allies to establish a supply route between Aleppo and Raqqa in north-central Syria while increasing pressure on SDF positions along the river.

The escalation occurred despite a landmark agreement reached in March between Damascus and the SDF that established a nationwide ceasefire. Talks between the two sides are ongoing, but the latest round, held earlier this month, failed to yield tangible results, according to Syrian state media.

Although tensions have eased in recent days, residents remain fearful of further bloodshed, with some drawing parallels to previous episodes of sectarian violence in the country.

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