Syrian army warns of SDF booby traps after civilian deaths

The Syrian Arab Army has issued a stark warning to civilians in northeastern Syria following fatal explosions caused by booby traps allegedly left behind by the withdrawing YPG/SDF. According to a military statement, these concealed explosives have resulted in casualties among both civilians and soldiers in the regions of Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and eastern Aleppo.

Details of the Concealed Explosives

In a statement carried by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the army's Operation Command accused the SDF and affiliated PKK terrorists of rigging their former positions with hidden dangers. The military claims explosives were planted in doors, corridors, and tunnel networks. Furthermore, devices were reportedly disguised as ordinary objects like rocks and construction bricks, and even hidden within household furniture and abandoned vehicles near public roads and in former residential compounds.

Public Safety Warning Issued

The army explicitly urged residents in the affected governorates "not to enter the sites or tunnels of the SDF organization." This advisory highlights the severe and lingering threat to public safety as the Syrian government forces move to reoccupy areas previously held by the Kurdish-led group. The warning underscores the chaotic and hazardous nature of the transition currently underway in northeastern Syria following recent ceasefire and integration agreements between Damascus and the SDF.

Context of Withdrawal and Security Risks

These incidents occur within the framework of a broader deal for the SDF to withdraw from key urban centers like Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, allowing the Syrian army to reassert control. The reported use of booby traps aligns with a pattern of creating security vacuums and complicating stabilization efforts, a tactic long criticized by Türkiye regarding the YPG/PKK's activities. For Türkiye, which views the YPG as a terrorist entity, such actions validate its security concerns about the group's presence and methods along its southern border, even as the group's influence wanes under the new arrangement with Damascus.