SOHR Reports Collapse of SDF Lines in Eastern Deir ez-Zor, Partial Fall of Tabqa Amid Internal Fractures

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) confirmed on Sunday that the Syrian Arab Army has established complete control over the villages of eastern Deir ez-Zor, marking a rapid and decisive shift in the military map of eastern Syria. In a special statement provided to Kurdistan24 on Sunday, the war monitor detailed a crumbling defensive line for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), citing both overwhelming military pressure from government troops and significant internal fractures within the SDF’s ranks.

According to the Observatory, the situation on the ground is evolving with high velocity, with government forces capitalizing on a destabilized security environment.

The capture of the villages in eastern Deir ez-Zor represents the consolidation of Damascus's grip on the strategic border province, following earlier reports that the army had seized critical energy infrastructure in the area.

The Observatory’s assessment indicates that the SDF’s hold on the region has fractured, leading to the rapid transfer of territory to the Syrian Arab Army.

Beyond Deir ez-Zor, the Observatory provided a stark assessment of the situation in Tabqa, a strategic city that houses major infrastructure including a military airport.

While conflicting reports have emerged regarding the city's status, SOHR indicated that the situation is highly unstable, estimating that nearly 75 percent of the town's area has fallen under the control of the Syrian Army. 

This assessment challenges earlier denials by SDF leadership, who had maintained that their fighters had repelled government advances. The loss of three-quarters of Tabqa would place government forces in a commanding position over the Euphrates Dam and the approaches to Raqqa.

A critical factor driving these territorial losses, according to the Observatory, appears to be internal cohesion issues within the SDF coalition. The monitor reported that the advances by the Syrian Army are occurring amidst talk of "treason" within the ranks of the SDF.

Specifically, the Observatory noted that a number of Arab members within the force have abandoned the battlefront.

This reported desertion by Arab components of the SDF—who are crucial for holding territory in majority-Arab areas like Deir ez-Zor and Tabqa—suggests that the political and military alliance forged during the war against the Islamic State is straining under the pressure of the government's offensive.

These developments on the battlefield have precipitated an immediate humanitarian and security crisis in neighboring Raqqa.

The Observatory warned that a major threat has arisen over the prisons in Raqqa, where more than 2,000 Islamic State gunmen are currently detained.

The potential for a security vacuum or a prison break in the midst of the chaos poses a significant risk to regional stability. Concurrently, a wave of displacement has begun, with residents of Raqqa fleeing their homes toward safer areas as the frontlines draw closer to the city.

The SOHR report aligns with earlier statements from Farhad Shami, the Director of the Media Center of the SDF, who described a massive, multi-front offensive against the region.

Shami warned that a combined force comprising more than 100,000 "mercenaries," including elements of the Interim Government, Turkish-backed factions, and Islamic State operatives, is launching coordinated attacks.

The SDF has characterized this offensive as an "existential war," prompting the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) to declare a state of emergency and issue a general call to arms on Sunday.

The collapse of defenses in Deir ez-Zor follows confirmation from the Reuters news agency that the Syrian Arab Army had seized the Omar oil field and the Conoco gas field. These facilities are the economic lifeblood of the autonomous region.

The loss of the oil fields, combined with the SOHR’s report of village seizures, indicates that the SDF has effectively lost its footing in one of its most strategically vital territories. The Governor of Deir ez-Zor has suspended official duties and instructed citizens to remain indoors, further signaling that the government is moving to fully reinstate its administrative authority.

Humanitarian conditions are further exacerbating the desperation of the displacement noted by the Observatory. In Raqqa, the local Media Directorate reported that the city’s drinking water supply had been completely cut off due to damage to main transmission pipelines.

While local authorities blamed SDF shelling for the outage, the SDF categorically denied the accusation, calling it "Damascus propaganda." Regardless of the perpetrator, the lack of water in a major urban center facing a military siege is accelerating the exodus of civilians.

Despite the severity of the situation and the explicit requests for assistance from the SDF, the international response has been muted on Sunday.

The Syrian Observatory noted that, thus far, the United States has shown no official response or reaction regarding the SDF's requests and the day's events.

This silence stands in contrast to the diplomatic activity observed just a day prior, when Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani hosted a high-level summit in Erbil with U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack and General Mazloum Abdi to discuss de-escalation.

The failure of the recently brokered withdrawal agreement appears to have set the stage for the current offensive. On Friday, General Abdi had announced a decision to withdraw forces east of the Euphrates as a goodwill gesture. However, the SDF claims the government violated this truce by launching attacks before the agreed 48-hour deadline.

With the U.S. currently silent and the SDF’s Arab components reportedly fracturing, the Syrian Army continues to press its advantage, reshaping the political and military geography of eastern Syria.