The Syrian army is advancing towards Raqqa, the stronghold of the United States-trained, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), after capturing the northern strategic city of Tabqa and its military airport on the Euphrates River in a lightning offensive.Government forces captured the Euphrates Dam, also known as the Tabqa Dam, about 50km (31 miles) west of Raqqa city, after heavy fighting with SDF forces. Government forces are amassing heavy military equipment in Raqqa governorate, which has been under SDF control since 2015.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listFighting erupted between the army and SDF forces in Aleppo on January 6 after talks aimed at integrating the Kurdish fighters into Syria’s national army stalled. The two sides also clashed last month before a deadline for the SDF to lay down its heavy weapons and hand over control of areas in Aleppo to the national army.So what’s the latest situation on the ground? Will the offensive by the Syrian army heighten the conflict in northern Syria? (Al Jazeera)What is the latest from Syria’s northeast?On Sunday, the Syrian army took control of Tabqa, about 40km (24 miles) west of Raqqa. It also captured the Euphrates Dam, the largest in the country and adjacent to the strategic city, as well as the Freedom Dam, formerly known as the Baath Dam.Government-allied groups said they have taken control of the Asayish headquarters, the security and police force in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, in the town of Markada while tribal fighters allied with the government have taken control of several major oil- and gasfields in the northeast, including Jafra and Conoco located in Deir Az Zor province bordering Iraq. Advertisement The Syrian Petroleum Company said Syrian forces seized the Rasafa and Sufyan oilfields in Raqqa, which …
