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2024 East Aleppo offensive
Part of Syrian civil war and Turkish involvement in the Syrian civil war
Territorial control in Manbij
Date 23 December 2024 – present (4 weeks and 1 day) Location East Aleppo Governorate, Syria Status Ongoing Several attempts by SNA to recapture the Tishrin Dam fail Territorial changes SDF secures the Tishrin Dam and captures several villages southeast of Manbij
Belligerents
Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria	Syrian Interim Government  Turkey
Commanders and leaders
Mazlum Abdi Ferhad Şamî Shervan Derwish Dilsuz Hashme Nuri Mahmoud Nesrin Abdullah	Fadlallah al-Haji Adnan al-Ahmad Munir Hajak † Ahmed Othman Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu
Units involved
Syrian Democratic Forces Manbij Military Council People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units	Syrian National Army Sultan Murad Division Turkish Armed Forces Turkish Land Forces Turkish Air Force
Casualties and losses
75 killed (since 12 December 2024) 13 wounded SDF Claim: 81 killed or wounded (as of January 13, 2025)	333 killed (since 12 December 2024) 7 wounded 1 killed and 1 injured 2 Bayraktar TB2 destroyed SDF Claim: 2 radar systems 324 killed 3 Bayraktar TB2 destroyed 1 TAI Anka and 1 TAI Aksungur destroyed Dozens wounded 25+ vehicles destroyed 18 armored vehicles and 8 tanks
44 civilians killed (since 12 December 2024)

The East Aleppo offensive is an operation launched in eastern Aleppo Governorate in Northern Syria by the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in December 2024 against the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) to regain control of territory that was lost during the Manbij offensive and to advance from Dayr Hafir into the Tishrin Dam area. The fighting is part of the longer term conflict between Turkey (and its local allies) and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), taking place in the aftermath of the fall of the Assad regime.

Background

Following the SNA capture of Manbij city on 11 December, a temporary ceasefire agreement in the region was reached between the SNA and SDF through U.S. mediation. However, military activities did not cease, which eventually resulted in fighting in the Kobani countryside. In addition, the SNA refused the evacuation of SDF fighters or civilians from Manbij, executed captured SDF soldiers and attempted offensive operations against the SDF, resulting in fighting near the Tishrin Dam. The following week, the SNA stated that they ended the US-brokered ceasefire with the SDF. Turkey stated that the ceasefire did not exist.

The offensive comes around the same time in which several Syrian rebel factions agreed with de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to dissolve their groups and to fall under the country's new Defense ministry. The SDF did not participate in this meeting in Damascus.

Offensive

The Manbij Military Council of the SDF initiated an offensive against the Syrian National Army near the Tishrin Dam on 23 December 2024. The SDF managed to take control over several villages south east of Manbij.

On 24 December, three SDF fighters were killed by a Turkish airstrike in Al-Hasakah.

The following day, SDF started assaults in two different directions. At the Dayr Hafir front, the SDF advanced from the Jirah Military Airbase along the west bank of the Euphrates where they took control of the Babiri water pumping station, five kilometres south of the town of Al-Khafsah and advanced from the Tishrin Dam into the Abu Qalqal district. Further north, fighting also started around the Qarah Qawzak bridge. A spokesperson of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) stated that its fighters were located just over 11 kilometers (7 miles) away from the center of Manbij city, which was later confirmed by the SOHR. During the clashes with YPJ and MMC at least 12 SNA fighters were killed in the Tishrin Dam area. On 26 December, the SDF spokesperson Ferhad Şamî made a statement at the Tishrin Dam confirming SDF control over the area. The next morning, fighting reached the surroundings of the Najm castle.

Between 27 and 31 December, the clashes continued mainly in the Abu Qalqal direction, where both sides executed several infiltration attempts.During these clashes two SDF fighters were killed (including a commander of YPJ) Meanwhile, the SDF claimed that the Turkish Armed Forces are establishing two military bases in the Manbij countryside. The Deputy Press Secretary of the Pentagon, Sabrina Singh, stated during a press briefing that the US-brokered ceasefire around the city of Manbij is "still holding" despite the concurrent fighting.

In early January 2025, both sides attacked each other with drone strikes, including a Turkish drone strike targeting the sugar factory in Dayr Hafir. The SNA, backed by Turkish artillery, launched an attack on Khirbet Zamalah south of the Tishrin dam. The SDF on their part managed to down a Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone in the southern Kobani countryside. Continued clashes between SDF and SNA forces occurred west of the Tishrin dam and further north near the Qarah Qawzak bridge. At least 50 SNA and 12 SDF fighters were killed in the clashes. Fights also broke out at Dayr Hafir. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed that the SDF may seek to link-up their forces with these two advances to strengthen supply lines. Local media reported at the time that the US was building bases near the city of Kobane though the reports have been denied by the Pentagon. On 4 January, clashes continued in the vicinity of Sad Teshrin and Jisr Qarqozak, leaving 20 SNA and 8 SDF fighters dead.

On 5 January, three SDF fighters were killed and four others injured in a Turkish airstrike on Teshreen Dam. Pro-SNA media reported that the SNA managed to outflank the SDF advance and took some villages on the Aleppo-Raqqa highway.

On 6 January, four SNA fighters were killed and a SDF fighter was killed by following Turkish artillery shelling of Teshreen Dam.

On 7 January, two SNA fighters were killed in clashes.

On 8 January, civilians protested around Tishrin Dam in support of the SDF and called for an end to Turkish airstrikes in the reigion.

On 9 January, 26 SNA fighters, six SDF fighters and five civilians were killed in clashes. On the same day a Turkish soldier was killed and another injured in a SDF attack. Two SNA fighters were killed and seven others injured in a SDF kamikaze drone attack. The Institute for the Study of War reported that the SNA deployed a large amount of troops on the frontline and launched an ambush against the SDF in Tal al Zamalah.

On 10 January, seven SNA and two SDF fighters were killed in clashes, meanwhile two unidentified people were killed by a Turkish airstrike in Al-Hasakah.

On 11 January, seven SNA fighters were killed in clashes on the Manbij frontline.

On 15 January, five SDF fighters were killed in Turkish airstrikes, meanwhile 13 SNA fighters were killed in clashes on frontlines.

Between 18-19 January, 21 SNA fighters, 6 civilians and one SDF fighter were killed in clashes on the frontline.

On 20 January, 12 SNA fighters were killed in clashes on the Manbij frontline.

See also

• Tishrin Dam offensive
• East Aleppo offensive (2017)
• 2019 Tell Rifaat clashes
• 2020–2021 Ayn Issa clashes
• 2024 Kobani clashes

Notes

References

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72. "Military escalation | 11 combatants killed and wounded in clashes between Turkish-backed factions and SDF on frontlines of eastern Aleppo". SOHR. 19 January 2025.
73. "Military escalation | 11 combatants killed and wounded in clashes between Turkish-backed factions and SDF on frontlines of eastern Aleppo". SOHR. 19 January 2025.
74. "New attack | Eight members of Turkish-backed factions kil*led by drones of SDF near Teshrin Dam". SOHR. 19 January 2025.
75. -backed militiamen killed on frontlines in Manbij countryside in 24 hours|date=20 January 2025|work=SOHR}}

• Aleppo Governorate in the Syrian civil war
• Battles of the Syrian civil war in 2024
• Battles of the Syrian civil war in 2025
• December 2024 events in Syria
• Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2024
• Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian Democratic Forces
• Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian National Army
• Turkish Air Force involvement in the Syrian civil war
• Manbij District