Syrian army says SDF drones hit positions, violate ceasefire

DAMASCUS

A Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter stands on a pickup truck, with a road leading toward the front line visible in the background, ahead of the end of a four-day truce with the Syrian government in Hassakeh, northeastern Syria, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026.

The Syrian army accused the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of launching more than 25 explosive drones at its positions in the Aleppo countryside, in what it said was a violation of a recently extended ceasefire, state media reported.

In a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the army’s Operations Directorate said the drones targeted deployment sites around Ayn al-Arab — also known as Kobani — and destroyed four military vehicles.

The statement said the attacks also hit the M4 highway and nearby villages, wounding several civilians. SANA reported that some of the first-person-view (FPV) drones were brought down before reaching residential areas.

In a separate incident, the army alleged that SDF forces surrounded homes near the village of al-Shuyoukh as part of what it described as arrests targeting young men, leading to clashes with residents and civilian injuries.

The army said it was assessing the situation and reviewing its response options, adding it would take “necessary measures” after what it described as attacks on civilians and military positions.

The allegations came a day after Syria announced a 15-day extension of a ceasefire with the SDF, just hours after a previous four-day truce expired. Damascus said the extension was intended to support a U.S. operation to transfer ISIL detainees from northeast Syria to secure facilities in Iraq.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said last week it had begun moving ISIL detainees from detention sites in northeast Syria to Iraq, starting with 150 prisoners, and that the mission could eventually involve up to 7,000 detainees.

Washington has urged countries to take back their nationals held in connection with ISIL, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcoming Iraq’s initiative to detain suspected ISIL members while calling for repatriations “to face justice.”