Mass desertion among Syrian Democratic Forces in Tabqa, Raqqa
ARK News. Local sources have reported a mass desertion of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) personnel in the city of Tabqa, Raqqa, triggering a state of heightened alert in areas under their control.
According to local news network Naher Media, as of Saturday, 21 December 2024, approximately 80% of the SDF-affiliated Internal Security Forces (Asayish), Self-Defense Forces and Military Police in Tabqa have abandoned their posts in recent days.
According to the report, some of the deserters have fled outside the city of Tabqa, while others have gone into hiding. To address the resulting manpower shortage, the SDF deployed reinforcements from Hasaka province and ordered former personnel who had previously fled areas such as Tel Rif'at, Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiya to return and fill the gap.
The SDF has reportedly launched a campaign of raids in Raqqa to track down the fleeing members, according to the source.
This incident reflects growing challenges within the SDF ranks amid ongoing tensions and instability in northern Syria.
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