Dayr Hafir دير حافر | |
|---|---|
 Dayr Hafir is the administrative center of Nahiya Dayr Hafir and Dayr Hafir District. | |
  Dayr Hafir Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates:36°09′25″N37°42′28″E / 36.15694°N 37.70778°E /36.15694; 37.70778 | |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | Aleppo |
| District | Dayr Hafir |
| Subdistrict | Dayr Hafir |
| Control | Syrian transitional government |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.7 km2 (2.2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 342 m (1,122 ft) |
| Population (2013) | |
• Total | 35,409 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
Dayr Hafir (Arabic:دَيْر حَافِر /ALA-LC:Dayr Ḥāfir) is a town in northernSyria, administratively part of theDayr Hafir District and theAleppo Governorate. It is located 50 kilometres (31 miles) east ofAleppo on the Aleppo-Raqqa highway, 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) to the north ofSabkhat al-Jabbul. It is the regional centre of the Dayr Hafir District. In the 2004 official census, the town of Dayr Hafir had a population of 18,948. The town is home to an archeological site dating back to the 9th millennium BC. Dayr Hafir is a rural community in its majority.
During theSyrian civil war, in June 2012, theFree Syrian Army was reported to be in control of the town. The town came under the control of theIslamic State in early 2014, before being retaken bySyrian Government forces during theDayr Hafir offensive in 2017.[1]
On 30 November 2024, theSyrian Democratic Forces (SDF) took control of the town amidst theattack on Aleppo and the subsequent withdrawal of pro-Assad forces.[2] The SDF defended the town against attacks by theTurkish-backedSyrian National Army (SNA) and its affiliated militias duringOperation Dawn of Freedom and theEast Aleppo offensive.[3]
After theMarch 10 Agreement, clashes around Dayr Hafir ceased for a few months. In August 2025 forces of theSyrian transitional government, and the SDF exchangedartillery fire in small skirmishes near the town.[4]
In January 2026, clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian government forces led to government control of theSheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo, prompting civilian displacement. The Syrian Army accused the SDF of drone attacks and disrupting water supplies, which the SDF denied.[5] On 13 January, theSyrian Ministry of Defense launched anoffensive, declaring Dayr Hafir andMaskanah a military zone and ordering SDF elements to withdraw east of theEuphrates.[6] On 16 January, as part of international efforts to calm the situation after heavy fighting around Aleppo, U.S. military convoy accompanied by SDF leaders toured the contested area around Dayr Hafir and eastern Aleppo, signaling continued U.S. involvement alongside Kurdish‑led forces in monitoring and stabilizing front‑line zones.[7] The SDF withdrew on 17 January, relocating east of the river.[8][9]
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