On Saturday, Syrian government forces advanced into Kurdish-controlled areas in northern Syria. They took several towns, including the strategic Tabqa military airport in Raqqa province. This move has triggered fresh fighting and jeopardized a fragile political deal aimed at uniting the country under central control. The clashes come after weeks of tension and heavy battles earlier this month between government troops and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group. The Syrian army confirmed its control over Tabqa airport, previously held by Kurdish forces, according to AFP reports. Raqqa is a symbolic city, once declared the capital of the Islamic State's caliphate in 2014. It suffered great destruction during the US-led campaign that defeated ISIS. Since then, it has stayed under SDF authority with a small US military presence nearby. Following Bashar Assad’s removal from power last year, Kurdish authorities have hesitated to join the new government’s military and civilian frameworks. Talks to unite Kurdish groups with the Syrian state have dragged on and recently stalled. Renewed fighting worries Washington, where officials fear a wider war could risk US troops and enable an ISIS comeback. The government’s advance started hours after SDF fighters pulled back from positions east of Aleppo. This withdrawal followed a decree by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa granting Kurdish Syrians certain rights to ease tensions. However, the calm was brief as both sides accused each other of breaking agreements, reigniting violence. US officials called for restraint. Adm. Brad Cooper, leader of US forces in the Middle East, urged Syrian troops to "cease any offensive actions" near Aleppo. Special envoy Thomas J. Barrack Jr. met Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq to prevent escalation. Fighting spread across oil-rich areas as government forces pushed toward the key town of Tabqa, about 30 miles from Raqqa. At least 24 civilians died during five days of combat, with thousands displaced. These clashes are among the deadliest since Syria’s civil war ended in December 2024 when al-Sharaa's rebel coalition toppled Assad’s regime.