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Clashes Escalate in Northern Syria amid Ankara-Damascus 'Normalization' Talks

Syrian fighters in a Turkish-backed faction in the northern countryside of Aleppo (AFP)
Syrian fighters in a Turkish-backed faction in the northern countryside of Aleppo (AFP)
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Clashes Escalate in Northern Syria amid Ankara-Damascus 'Normalization' Talks

Syrian fighters in a Turkish-backed faction in the northern countryside of Aleppo (AFP)
Syrian fighters in a Turkish-backed faction in the northern countryside of Aleppo (AFP)

Clashes escalated between the Turkish forces and the regime forces in northern Syria, amid preparations for the foreign ministers meeting of Türkiye, Syria, and Russia, within the framework of the second phase of normalizing relations between Ankara and Damascus.

A Turkish soldier was killed, and others were injured, after the Turkish base in Hazwan village in al-Bab, east of Aleppo, was attacked from the areas of the Syrian regime forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northern countryside of Aleppo.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a Turkish helicopter arrived at the base to transport the wounded to Türkiye.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced Saturday that one of its soldiers died from injuries sustained during Friday's attack without giving any further information.

Turkish forces and their loyal factions, known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), responded by shelling heavy artillery areas of the SDF and the regime forces.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Saturday that 11 SDF members had been "neutralized" after they launched attacks on the areas of the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations.

The axes of contact between the Turkish forces and the loyal National Army factions, the regime forces, and the SDF in northern Syria witness continuous clashes, exchanges of shelling, and infiltration operations, without any change in the control map in the region.

- Escalation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham

Mutual attacks escalated between Türkiye and Syria amid reports about rapprochement with the regime and preparations for the meeting of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Bashar al-Assad under the auspices of Russia.

Türkiye has killed 32 Syrian soldiers, including senior officers, since Ankara escalated its attack against SDF areas last November as part of the military operation "Claw-Sword."

The operation was launched after a terrorist bombing on Istiklal Street in Taksim, which Turkish authorities attributed to perpetrators following the orders of commanders of Kurdish units in Ain al-Arab.

At the same time, four members of the regime forces were killed, and two others were wounded in violent clashes with heavy weapons and machine guns during an attack launched by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), on Saturday, in the northern countryside of Latakia.

The Syrian Observatory reported that the HTS seeks to exploit widespread anger and discontent with the rapprochement between Ankara and Damascus by intensifying its attacks against regime forces on several axes in the de-escalation zones in northwestern Syria.

It noted that members of the HTS-affiliate Othman bin Affan Brigade carried out an attack targeting regime forces on the Nahshaba axis, where violent clashes took place between the two sides with heavy weapons and machine guns, amid reports about deaths and injuries.

Recently, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham intensified its operations against the regime forces on several axes in the de-escalation zones, causing many casualties.

- A military operation

Turkish presidency spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, announced Saturday that a ground military operation in Syria "is possible at any time."

"We continue to support the political process," Kalin told reporters from foreign media outlets, including AFP.

"A ground operation is possible any time, depending on the threats we receive."

Referring to the normalization of relations between Ankara and Damascus, Kalin said the initial meeting between the neighbors' defense ministers at the end of December could be extended, with foreign ministers possibly meeting in February.

He added, "We want security on our borders," referring to the presence of Kurdish forces on Syrian territory, asserting that Türkiye "never targets the Syrian state or Syrian civilians."

However, he pointed out that the security guarantees promised by Russia and the US after the last Turkish operation in Syria in 2019 were not met, and the Kurdish fighters did not withdraw 30 kilometers from the border as promised.

- Pressure on refugees

The Turkish opposition continues its campaign against the Syrian refugees, promising to deport them ahead of the Turkish elections scheduled for next June, which may be brought forward to May.

Former presidential candidate and a potential candidate for the upcoming presidential elections, the head of the opposition Homeland party, Muharrem Ince, vowed to deport Syrian refugees.

During a meeting with supporters, Ince said Erdogan's government granted thousands of Syrian refugees the Turkish citizenship, and they can now vote in the elections, noting that their votes would favor the ruling Justice and Development Party.

He warned that Syrian refugees had overstayed their welcome.

Ince pointed out that the opposition parties would take several steps when they win the elections, including closing the border and arresting Syrian refugees in the streets.

The Republican People's Party (CHP) pledged to send the Syrians to their homeland and see them off with "drums and zurnas" within two years of winning the next elections.

Recently, the party used billboards and banners in several Turkish cities to assert its rejection of the refugees, promising to withdraw from the migration agreement signed with the European Union in 2016.

Meanwhile, Erdogan announced a plan to send back home more than a million Syrian refugees, and announced last week that more than half a million Syrians had been deported to their homeland thanks to the Turkish military operations that cleared large areas in northern Syria.

About 3,733,982 Syrians received the Turkish Temporary Protection Identification Documents, with about 550,000 refugees in Istanbul alone.

Most Syrians in Türkiye suffer from difficult living conditions in light of the high prices, low wages, and the campaigns against them.

The Turkish Migration Directorate announced that 124,441 illegal immigrants were deported last year, including 58,758 Syrians who returned voluntarily to Türkiye's "safe areas" in northern Syria.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense reported that the ongoing meetings and discussions between Türkiye and the Syrian regime focus on several issues, including combating terrorism, the voluntary and safe return of Syrian refugees, and achieving stability through the political solution.

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Arab World

Palestinian President’s Advisor: Board of Peace, Related Entities Are a ‘Temporary Arrangement’

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash. WAFA
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash. WAFA
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Palestinian President’s Advisor: Board of Peace, Related Entities Are a ‘Temporary Arrangement’

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash. WAFA
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash. WAFA

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash said that the situation in the Gaza Strip, along with the formation of the Board of Peace and its related entities is not a Palestinian choice.

This is “a temporary arrangement (mandated by the UN Security Council) that the Palestinian leadership rejects under any circumstances... but it is the lesser of two evils,” Al-Habbash told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Speaking from Ramallah, Al-Habbash said that the Palestinian leadership “chose this arrangement to stop the massacre and open a potential window ... leading to a Palestinian state.”

US President Donald Trump announced last week the formation of the Board of Peace, a new body of world leaders meant to oversee next steps in Gaza.

The White House said there would be a main board, chaired by Trump himself, a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant to govern the war-wracked territory, and a second "executive board" that appears designed to have a more advisory role.

“Our clear and firm position is that we did not create this reality,” said Al-Habbash. “Rather, it is a reality imposed on us for two reasons: First, Israel’s aggression ... and second, the reckless adventure carried out by Hamas movement, which whetted Israel’s appetite to liquidate the Palestinian cause.”

According to Al-Habbash, “this transitional arrangement is the least harmful to the Palestinian cause,” because it ensures that Palestinians remain in the Gaza Strip and prevents displacement.

Arab World

UN Human Rights Commissioner Calls for Accountability for Atrocity Crimes in Sudan

UN Human Rights commissioner Volker Turk 
UN Human Rights commissioner Volker Turk 
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UN Human Rights Commissioner Calls for Accountability for Atrocity Crimes in Sudan

UN Human Rights commissioner Volker Turk 
UN Human Rights commissioner Volker Turk 

UN Human Rights commissioner Volker Turk said on Sunday he is alarmed by the increasing militarization of society by all parties to the conflict in Sudan, also expressing his worries that the atrocity crimes committed during and after the takeover of El Fasher would be repeated in the Kordofan region.

Speaking at a press conference in Port Sudan, where the government had been operating as a temporary capital since the conflict began, the UN envoy said the proliferation of advanced military equipment, in particular drones, across Sudan has enhanced the military capabilities of both the Sudanese army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), prolonging hostilities and deepening the crisis for civilians.

“I am deeply alarmed by the increasing militarization of society by all parties to the conflict, including through the arming of civilians and recruitment and use of children,” Turk noted.

The envoy said that during his visit to refugee camps in north Sudan, he heard accounts of widespread summary executions by RSF during the offensive on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur region – for revenge, for suspected affiliation with the Sudanese Army or its allied Joint Forces.

He added, “I am very worried that the atrocity crimes committed during and after the takeover of El Fasher are at grave risk of repeating themselves in the Kordofan region, where the conflict has been rapidly escalating since late October.”

Horror and Hell

Turk also said the Sudanese population had endured “horror and hell,” especially with the expansion of the fighting in Kordofan.

“The Kordofan states are extremely volatile, with relentless military engagements, heavy shelling, drone bombardments and airstrikes causing widespread destruction and collapse of essential services,” he warned.

Since the end of October, and after taking control of El Fasher in Darfur, the RSF attacks have expanded into the neighboring Kordofan region, resulting in a continued displacement of civilians from the besieged city – all in the context of extreme food insecurity, with famine conditions confirmed in Kadugli, and risk of famine in other areas including Dilling, according to Turk.

The latest UN figures show that more than 65,000 people have been displaced since October.

At his press conference at Port Sudan airport, the envoy said that during his four-day visit to Port Sudan, Dongola, Ad Dabba and Merowe, he has met with those who have been hardest hit by brutal violence and injustice in this war.

“The terrifying experiences of these survivors must provoke action to end this conflict, and to make sure they can access what they need: medical care, psychosocial care, justice and support to pursue education and a livelihood”.

End This Madness

Turk and his UN team had visited the Al Afad site for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ad Dabba, where they met with a large number of displaced people from the regions of Darfur and Kordofan.

“In my meetings with more than 50 local and international organizations in Dongola and Port Sudan, I heard appeals directed to those waging this war and the international community to end this madness,” he said.

“And to allow NGOs, journalists, lawyers and humanitarian actors to do their essential work without undue restrictions and reprisals,” Turk added.

He said the RSF and the Sudanese army must cease intolerable attacks against civilian objects that are indispensable to the civilian population, including markets, health facilities, schools and shelters.

“Attacks on critical civilian infrastructure are serious violations that can amount to war crimes,” Turk affirmed.

The UN envoy said the international community must ensure that the perpetrators of the horrific violations in Sudan face justice, regardless of their affiliation.

My Office, he said, is working to document and report on these violations and abuses to pave the way for accountability.

Turk described as “despicable” the fact that large sums of money are being spent on procuring increasingly advanced weaponry – funds he said that should be used to alleviate the suffering of the population.

Protection of Civilians

The envoy then called on all parties to the conflict to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, to guarantee safe passage for civilians to leave areas of active conflict – including Kadugli and Dilling – and for humanitarian aid to enter where it is needed.

He also repeated his call from three years ago, when he last visited Sudan, urging all those involved to set aside entrenched positions, power games, and personal interests, and to focus on the common interests of the Sudanese people.

The envoy then left Sudan with a plea that human rights be central to building confidence and bringing this war to an end, to resuming the difficult task of building a sustainable peace.

“It is difficult, but certainly not impossible, with the resilience and power of the Sudanese people,” he affirmed.

Arab World

Syrian Government Announces Ceasefire with Kurdish-led SDF

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa after signing an agreement at the presidential palace in Damascus on January 18, 2026. (EPA)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa after signing an agreement at the presidential palace in Damascus on January 18, 2026. (EPA)
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Syrian Government Announces Ceasefire with Kurdish-led SDF

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa after signing an agreement at the presidential palace in Damascus on January 18, 2026. (EPA)
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa after signing an agreement at the presidential palace in Damascus on January 18, 2026. (EPA)

The Syrian government Sunday announced a ceasefire with the Syrian Democratic Forces, taking almost full control of the country and dismantling the Kurdish-led forces that controlled the northeast for over a decade.

The announcement comes as tensions between government forces and the SDF boiled over earlier this month, eventually resulting in a major push by government forces toward the east. The SDF appeared to have largely retreated after initial clashes on a tense front line area in eastern Aleppo province.

Hours after the government announced the deal, SDF leader Mazloum Abdi confirmed it in a video statement, saying the group had accepted the agreement, which stipulates their withdrawal from Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces “to stop the bloodshed.”

“We will explain the terms of the agreement to our people in the coming days,” he said.

Syria’s Defense Ministry said it ordered the fighting to halt on the front lines after the agreement was announced.

Syria’s new leaders, since toppling Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, have struggled to assert their full authority over the war-torn country. An agreement was reached in March that would merge the SDF with Damascus, but it didn't gain traction as both sides accused each other of violating the deal.

Since the push, the government has largely asserted control of the Deir Ezzor and Raqqa provinces, critical areas under the SDF that include oil and gas fields, river dams along the Euphrates, and border crossings.

Syria’s state-run news agency SANA showed President Ahmed al-Sharaa signing and holding the agreement. Abdi, who was scheduled to meet with the president in Damascus was not seen, though his signature appeared on the document.

Sharaa told journalists that Abdi could not travel due to bad weather and will visit Damascus on Monday.

“It’s a victory for all Syrians of all backgrounds,” Sharaa told journalists in Damascus after signing the agreement. “Hopefully Syria will end its state of division and move to a state of unity and progress.”

US Envoy Tom Barrack met with Sharaa earlier Sunday as government forces were sweeping into the city of Raqqa and across Deir Ezzor. Abdi reportedly joined the meeting over the phone.

Barrack praised the agreement, saying it will lead to “renewed dialogue and cooperation toward a unified Syria,” ahead of working on the details of implementing the integration.

“This agreement and ceasefire represent a pivotal inflection point, where former adversaries embrace partnership over division,” said Barrack in a post on X.

The agreement includes dismantling the SDF and having its forces join Syria’s military and security forces, while senior military and civilian officials would be given high-ranking positions in state institutions.

The SDF would have to give up the Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces — both Arab-majority areas — to the Syrian military and government, as well as its border crossings and oil and gas fields.

Hassakah province, the heartland of the Kurdish population, is only expected to give its civilian administration back to Damascus, while the Kurdish-led agencies that handled prisons and sprawling camps with thousands of detained ISIS group fighters and families would be handed over to Damascus.

Agreement will be implemented gradually

There was no clear timeline on when and how the different elements of the agreement will take effect. Sharaa told journalists that it will be gradually implemented, beginning with the cessation of hostilities.

It appeared that tensions following clashes in Aleppo earlier this month had calmed after Abdi announced that his troops will withdraw east of the Euphrates River, and Sharaa issued a presidential decree that would strengthen Kurdish rights in the country.

Initially the withdrawal appeared to be going as planned, but then new clashes broke out and the Syrian military seized Tabqa, continuing into Raqqa province.

A senior Syrian government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly said government forces pushed eastward because the SDF despite saying they will withdraw east of the Euphrates by 7 a.m. did not do so.

Armed Arab clans in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor that largely do not support the SDF backed Damascus. By Sunday evening, the SDF lost control of large swaths of its territory and infrastructure, including dams and oil and gas fields.

The SDF took Raqqa from the ISIS group in 2017 as part of its military campaign to take down the group’s so-called "caliphate", which at its peak stretched across large parts of Syria and Iraq.

An Associated Press reporter in the area said that large military convoys swept into Raqqa city Sunday evening and were greeted by residents. It appeared that the SDF had withdrawn.

Raqqa celebrates

Crowds in Raqqa celebrated in the streets late into the evening, waving Syrian flags and setting off fireworks, while some fired into the air.

“Today, everyone is born anew,” said Yahya Al Ahmad, who was among the revelers.

A couple of thousand Kurdish families who lived in the areas captured by government forces fled to the SDF-controlled city of Qamishli amid the offensive. Many of them had previously been displaced from other areas multiple times during Syria’s 14-year civil war and were living in tents camps. A cultural center in the city was turned into a temporary shelter for them.

Residents of Qamishli expressed both hope and skepticism about the deal.

“The Kurds have become victims of international agreements and international deception,” said Goran Ibrahim, a doctor. But he said, “With regards to this agreement, the positive part is the end of the fighting in the region.”

Syria's ambassador to the UN, Ibrahim Olabi, told the AP, “Really this is now a moment to show that Syrians are able to put differences aside and move ahead...It’s a victory for Syria.”