Syrian Army Seizes Strategic Al-Tabqa Airbase

Syrian forces secure key military airport in Raqqa, expelling PKK-linked fighters amid broader regional advances.

Syrian Army Says It Has Seized Al-Tabqa Military Airport, Expelling PKK-Linked Fighters

The Syrian Arab Army announced that its forces have taken full control of the strategic Tabqa military airport in Raqqa province and expelled militants linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from the facility, state media reported. The military command said troops also secured nearby towns and villages as part of a broader advance across the western Euphrates region.

According to the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the army’s Operations Command declared complete control over the airport and additional territory, including the Mansoura Dam and rural towns, positioning government forces roughly 5 kilometers from the western approaches to the provincial capital, Raqqa. The announcement coincided with ongoing deployments in areas previously held by Kurdish-led forces.

The Syrian military described its campaign as focused on “expelling terrorist PKK militias” — terminology used by Damascus to refer to Kurdish fighters associated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the PKK. Independent verification of territorial control and the extent of the PKK’s presence is limited; Kurdish groups have previously denied some Syrian Army claims regarding entry into Tabqa city itself.