Ceasefire Declared as Syrian Army Seizes Key Oil Fields

On 18 January 2026 a ceasefire was announced between Syrian government forces and US‑backed Kurdish‑led SDF groups, following the army’s seizure of the Omar oil field east of the Euphrates and the Conoco gas field near Deir Ezzor. The Syrian army also captured Tabqa and its dam, and secured areas between Raqqa and the former Baath Dam. The agreement allows SDF personnel to withdraw but integrate into ministries, ensuring no harm to fighters or civil administration in both Deir Ezzor and Raqqa. President Ahmed al‑Sharaa condemned militia control of oil assets and vowed to reunify Syria, while US Central Command’s Brad Cooper urged a halt to further offensives. French President Emmanuel Macron called for a permanent ceasefire on X. The move ends a period of heavy fighting that cost at least four government troops and left SDF casualties unreported.