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Syrian government forces deploy to two towns in north Syria
Syrian government forces have deployed to the towns of Ain Issa and Tabqa in northern Syria, state media and the Syrian Observatory reported on Monday.
The Syrian army presence in the town of Tabqa near Raqqa restores the state’s foothold in an area that is home to a major hydroelectric dam. Backed by the United States, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battled for weeks to take Tabqa and the nearby dam from ISIS in 2017. The latest deployment followed an agreement between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led forces for the Syrian army to deploy into the area.
Ain Issa is on the frontlines of territory where Turkish forces have mounted an invasion since last week. Syrian state television showed broadcasts of what it said was the entrance of Ain Issa, where residents were seen welcoming the arrival of Syrian government troops.
