Syrian troops and allied Arab tribal fighters seized the country’s largest oil and gas fields in eastern Syria, dealing a major setback to Kurdish-led forces that had relied on the energy assets to fund their self-administered region.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Syrian government forces, advancing alongside allied Arab tribal fighters, have seized control of major oil and gas installations in eastern Syria following clashes with U.S.-backed Kurdish-led forces, according to Syrian officials and regional security sources.
The army captured the Omar oil field, Syria’s largest, and the Conoco gas field in Deir al-Zor province, an oil-rich region east of the Euphrates River near the Iraqi border. The facilities had been a primary source of revenue for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which have controlled much of the area in recent years.
Syrian government officials said the loss of the fields was a significant blow to the SDF, arguing that the militia’s control of oil wealth had deprived the Syrian state of critical resources. President Ahmed al-Sharaa said last week it was unacceptable for a militia to control roughly a quarter of the country while holding its main oil and commodities assets.
The advances came despite U.S. calls for Syrian forces to halt their push into northeast Syria, which has largely been administered by the SDF with American backing. A government source said Kurdish-led forces were overwhelmed after coordinated advances led by Arab tribal fighters, allowing Syrian troops and their allies to take control of more than 150 kilometers of territory along the eastern bank of the Euphrates. The stretch extends from Baghouz, near the Iraqi border, northward toward towns including al-Shuhail and Busayra.
Officials said the gains effectively placed most of Deir al-Zor province—Syria’s main oil- and wheat-producing region along the Euphrates—under government control.
Late Saturday, Syrian forces also took control of the northern city of Tabqa and its adjacent dam, as well as the major Freedom Dam, formerly known as the Baath Dam, west of Raqqa. Control of the dams is considered strategically important for electricity generation and water management in the region.
Syrian Kurdish authorities have not acknowledged losing those sites and said fighting was continuing near the dam area. They accused Damascus of breaching an agreement to withdraw forces from areas east of Aleppo in order to expand its offensive. Kurdish officials said factions aligned with the government were attacking SDF positions despite efforts to reach a negotiated settlement.
The civil administration governing the Kurdish-held region said the Syrian government was attempting to sow divisions between Arab and Kurdish communities. In a statement, Kurdish authorities urged residents of predominantly Arab areas to stand with the SDF.
“We are at a critical juncture. We either resist or live in dignity and face all types of injustice,” the statement said. “We call on our people, especially the youth, to take up arms and prepare to resist any attack. We are facing a war for our survival.”
The Syrian government, meanwhile, has called on SDF fighters—many of whom come from Arab tribes—to defect. Officials said hundreds had already switched sides and joined tribal forces fighting against the SDF. Dozens of Arab tribal leaders have complained of marginalization under Kurdish leadership, an allegation the SDF denies, saying its ranks and administration reflect Syria’s ethnic and social diversity.
The developments mark one of the most significant shifts in control of eastern Syria since the defeat of the Islamic State and raise new questions about the balance of power in the region as fighting continues.