The Syrian Democratic Forces Media Center issued a statement regarding the circulating claims about civilian movement in Deir Hafer:

We categorically deny the claims made by the Damascus "Ministry of Defense" regarding preventing civilians from fleeing Deir Hafer.

We affirm that the disruption of civilian movement is due to the military escalation and ongoing shelling by Damascus-backed factions.

The Damascus government has officially acknowledged the closure of crossings with areas of northern and eastern Syria, revealing the contradiction in its narrative.

Any forced displacement of civilians by Damascus constitutes a war crime under the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute.

We call upon the international community, the United Nations, and human rights organizations to condemn these dangerous practices.

The people of Deir Hafer have demonstrated today their unwavering commitment to their land and homes.

SDF Update - Populated residential areas in the vicinity of Deir Hafer city were subjected to artillery shelling with three shells, carried out by Damascus factions, resulting in material damage without any information so far about human casualties.

Update – Damascus-affiliated factions continue their military escalation through indiscriminate artillery shelling of densely populated areas in the city of Deir Hafer, in a renewed attempt to pressure residents and forcibly displace them from their homes.

Over the past hour, the city has been struck by more than 20 artillery shells, in addition to an attack using an explosive-laden drone, posing a direct threat to civilians’ lives and confirming the deliberate targeting of residential neighborhoods.

Our forces are closely monitoring the situation on the ground and continue to carry out their duties, taking all necessary measures to maintain the security of the city and its residents.

Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces
02:00 AM
16 January 2026

🚨URGENT

A delegation from the International Coalition and the SDF arrived in the city of Mesken and headed towards Deir Hafir.

SDF PRESS:
We categorically deny what has been circulated about the downing of a drone belonging to our forces on the Deir Hafer axis, and we confirm that the aforementioned drone does not belong to our forces in any way.

🚨Urgent

The situation in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh has reached an extreme level of atrocity. Internet access has been completely cut off, and the Kurdish neighborhoods have been placed under siege by Syrian regime.

Reports indicate that the Syrian authorities are carrying out massacres against civilians.

According to multiple sources, civilian homes are being set on fire while residents remain inside.

An estimated 150,000 people have been displaced, hundreds of civilians have been killed, and the neighborhoods have once again been subjected to siege conditions, during which systematic massacres have been committed against the civilian population.

It is further reported that HTS members have raided the homes of remaining residents, detaining young people whose whereabouts are currently unknown.

US Central Command to Al Arabiya English:

Our forces have arrived in Deir Hafer, east of Aleppo, to assess the situation.

We are working with our partners in Syria to de-escalate the situation in Deir Hafer.

Achieving peace in Syria is crucial for the stability of the region.

Ferhad Shami told AFP that the meeting between the SDF Command and the Coalition Command in Deir Hafir was held to reduce tensions between the SDF and Damascus.

According to local sources, Abu Hasan al-Nuaimi, a former leader of the Hurras al-Din militant group, was killed in the town of Sheikh Zayat in the southern rural area of ​​Aleppo, after being targeted by a drone believed to belong to the International Coalition.

It has also been reported that forces loyal to the Damascus government have begun fleeing the Deir Hafer front lines due to intense coalition airstrikes.

STG media has gone full Turkish.

This is beyond absurd even when keeping partisanship of certain experts in mind.

A Kurdish Hacker group has released hundreds of files containing intelligence reports, photos and videos that reveal senior Hayat Tahrir al Sham commanders engaging in sexual conduct with the wife’s of the soldiers they command.
Footage (censored out of courtesy) shows senior Hayat Tahrir al Sham colonel of the 72nd Division *Sheikh Abu Abdo* FaceTiming with one of the wife’s of the officers he commands engaging in sexual acts.
Sheikh Abu Abdo is from Idlib and belongs to the inner circle of Jolani and is responsible for enforcing HTS directives in Aleppo.