Damascus, Syria – Videos circulating on social media on Thursday showed the Syrian army entering the town of Tal Brak, northeast of Hasakah city, on the road leading to Qamishli.
The videos showed convoys of Syrian army vehicles entering the town, amid cheers from local residents. However, neither the Syrian Ministry of Defense nor any other official body has yet announced official control of the town.
The Syrian army recently announced its control over a number of villages and towns in the eastern Aleppo countryside, including Maskana and Deir Hafer, following the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The two sides also reached a four-day ceasefire agreement that began on the evening of January 20, despite mutual accusations of violations.
In a related development, Syrian government forces began taking control of the al-Hol camp for displaced persons and families of ISIS fighters, after the SDF withdrew from it on January 21.
It is worth noting that the town of Tal Brak witnessed battles between Kurdish forces and ISIS in late 2013 and early 2014, making its control of strategic importance to the warring parties in the region.
