Army buses, anti-aircraft guns and rocket launchers sped along the road to Deir Ezzor on Thursday night, part of reinforcements sent to eastern Syria amid heightened tensions between the government in Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Travelling through eastern Syria over the past few days, The National witnessed a significant military build-up, a clear sign Syrian forces are preparing for the conflict with the SDF to push east - and potentially cross the Euphrates, the dividing line between SDF-held territory and government-controlled areas.
The SDF is a US-backed force that has controlled significant parts of Syria since the civil war, including much of the resource-rich north-east. It has long been supported by Washington, which viewed it as a trusted ally in the fight against ISIS.
But since the fall of Bashar Al Assad’s regime, its integration has proved to be a major challenge for Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara, who has vowed to unify the country.
Tensions rose sharply after five days of deadly clashes between Syrian forces and SDF-affiliated fighters last week in Aleppo, over the control of three Kurdish-majority pockets, where the SDF has long been positioned.
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