War updates

Weekly Highlights 27.10.25 – 02.11.25

27.10.25 – 02.11.25

SDF – MoD clashes in Deir ez Zor
On October 25, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) engaged the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) forces with small arms and mortars across the Euphrates River. This engagement followed reports of an SDF attempt to infiltrate MoD positions. In response, the MoD reinforced its positions, while the SDF deployed a reconnaissance drone over the area.
Additionally, SDF forces in Abu Hamam engaged MoD positions across the Euphrates after receiving rocket-propelled grenade fire from MoD positions on the same day. The SDF officially acknowledged these clashes, stating that no casualties occurred.
These clashes come amid positive steps made in the negociations between the SDF and the Syrian Transitional Government: on October 20, a delegation from the transitional government’s Ministry of Interior visited Tabqa to discuss the security situation in Aleppo with SDF officials. During this visit, the SDF released several prisoners held by the transitional government as a gesture aimed at building trust between the two sides. Thomas Barrack also recently made positive evaluations regarding recent meetings he held with Mazlum Abdi.

Arab tribe mobilize against the SDF
On October 27, in Deir ez Zor Province, an SDF patrol shot and killed a member of the Bakara Tribe after the tribesman allegedly tried to overtake the patrol in his car. In retaliation, Bakara tribespeople attacked the SDF headquarters, injuring two SDF members and one civilian. The SDF issued an apology on October 28, describing the incident as an accident, and arrested the involved members.
Until December 2024, the Assad regime’s dominance in Syria deterred Arab tribes in Deir ez Zor Province from opposing the SDF, as aligning with the Assad regime was seen as a worse option than SDF politics. However, the ascent of Al-Sharaa to power have made tribal mobilization a more pressing issue, as tribes now view the politics of the Syrian transitional Government as viable alternatives to the SDF.

Israel and Syria made new steps toward reaching a security agreement
An Israeli official announced that negotiations with the Syrian transitional government are ongoing and near completion. The agreement will resemble the 1974 disengagement accord but will include minor adjustments, such as the establishment of joint US-Israeli-Syrian outposts along the border.
The official assured that Israel does not support separatist movements within Syria. In response to recent U.S. concerns about the situation in Suweida Governorate, the official clarified that Israel has no connections to Druze leader Hikmat al-Hajri or other local figures. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has supplied arms and paid salaries for Druze militias in Suweida Province since July in an effort to unite the militias against the Syrian transitional government. It is today unclear whether it continues to do so.
Furthermore, the Israeli official stated that the proposal for a humanitarian corridor to Suweida is not being considered anymore. Israel’s previous insistence on establishing a humanitarian corridor between Israel and Suweida contradicted various request from the Syrian government and led to the collapse of negotiations in September 2025.

Public trials for the perpetuators of the Alawite massacres
The Syrian Justice Minister announced on October 29 that the Justice Ministry will soon conduct public trials for individuals involved in the massacres committed on the Syrian coast in March 2025. The Syrian transitional government has arrested 298 individuals involved in the massacres. Some MoD fighters accused of atrocities have also been arrested, however these arrests have not been publicly disclosed.
These upcoming trials will permit to the Syrian Transitional Government to display a theatre of judicial independence and procedural transparency. Jolani has, on multiple occasions, strategically abandoned former HTS fighters to advance his political agenda. Undoubtedly, condemning 300 of his fighters will not pose a significant obstacle if it enhances the image of the “new Syrian leader” that Western media is eager to construct.

Continuous developments:

  • IDF maintain their activities in Quneitra and Daraa, triggering protests in surrounding villages.
  • SDF, backed by the coalition, captured five individuals belonging to ISIS cells during a joint security operation in Deir ez-Zor. Similar anti-ISIS operations are currently ongoing in Raqqa.
  • Anti-government protest continue in Suweida governorate.