The Syrian National Army (SNA) has encircled Tel Rifat district north of Aleppo as part of Operation Dawn of Freedom to block the PKK and YPG from creating a strategic corridor in northern Syria.

The Syrian National Army (SNA) said it has fully surrounded the Tel Rifat district as part of Operation Dawn of Freedom, a large-scale campaign aimed at halting the expansion of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and People's Protection Units (YPG).

The operation seeks to prevent these groups from establishing a strategic corridor that would connect Tel Rifat to northeastern Syria, enabling the movement of fighters and weapons and solidifying their influence in the region.

SNA forces said they have made significant advances, capturing key villages surrounding Tel Rifat, including Shagoreet, Kafr Kalbin, Al-Malikiyah, and Zouyan Hill. They have also disrupted critical supply routes between Raqqa and Aleppo, cutting off vital links for the PKK and YPG.

Additionally, the SNA secured the Kuwairis Military Airport, which had previously been used for air defense and other military operations.

Tel Rifat has been under PKK and YPG control since 2016. During this time, the terror groups forcibly displaced more than 250,000 civilians from the district, driving them to seek refuge near the Turkish border. The PKK and YPG have also used Tel Rifat as a base for launching attacks on nearby settlements.

Tensions in northern Syria have risen sharply in recent weeks following the capture of Aleppo by anti-regime forces. This loss prompted the Syrian regime to cede control of significant territories to the PKK and YPG, further enabling their efforts to expand their presence in the region.

In response, the SNA launched Operation Dawn of Freedom, quickly advancing into Tel Rifat and its surrounding areas to disrupt these plans.

The operation is ongoing, with heavy clashes reported as the SNA pushes forward from multiple directions. The campaign aims to fully reclaim Tel Rifat and its surroundings, ensuring that the PKK and YPG’s plans for a terror corridor are completely dismantled.

The outcome of this operation is expected to significantly shape the balance of power in northern Syria. President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to crush insurgents who swept into the city of Aleppo on Friday (29 November).

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