Damascus, January 17 (QNA) - Syria's Military Operations Authority announced on Friday that government forces have established full military control over the areas of Deir Hafer and Maskanah in the eastern countryside of Aleppo province, as army units continue advancing west of the Euphrates River toward the towns of Debsi Afnan and the city of Al-Tabqah in Raqqa province.

In a statement, the Authority said army units immediately launched extensive security sweeps upon entering Deir Hafer to clear mines and unexploded ordnance. It confirmed that control had been imposed over Al-Jarrah Military Airbase and approximately 34 villages and towns east of the city. The statement added that more than 200 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew with their weapons, while hundreds of others surrendered themselves to the army.

For its part, the Ministry of Defense's Media and Communications Department stated that army forces are entering the areas without targeting SDF personnel or vehicles, in line with directives issued by the Military Operations Authority. It also announced the commencement of the deployment of Internal Security Forces in the Deir Hafer area.

In Maskanah area, the Authority reported that army forces entered the city; however, it said the SDF violated the agreement by targeting an army patrol nearby, resulting in the killing of two Syrian soldiers and the wounding of others.

The statement added that army forces have begun entering Debsi Afnan in western Raqqa, affirming that military operations are continuing toward the city of Al-Tabqah as part of efforts to expand control west of the Euphrates River. (QNA)