Overview
- The military said it established full control over Deir Hafer east of Aleppo and designated newly entered areas as restricted zones for mine clearance, warning civilians to stay away.
- The SDF announced a withdrawal toward the east bank of the Euphrates but accused government troops of entering before the exit was complete and reported renewed clashes in Maskana.
- Reporters from AFP and AP observed columns of tanks and armored vehicles advancing and engineers clearing obstacles on routes into the area.
- Local outlets citing AP reported that more than 11,000 people fled Deir Hafer and Maskana over two days following government announcements of control.
- Interim president Ahmed al‑Sharaa issued a decree recognizing Kurdish language rights and the Newroz holiday, and a senior German lawmaker defended his contentious visit to Berlin.