Syrian government troops tightened their grip across a swathe of northern and eastern territory after Kurdish forces abandoned it in a dramatic shift that has consolidated President Ahmed al-Sharaa's rule. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/20/world/syria-kurdish-is-prisoners/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #syria #kurds #middleeast #ahmadalsharaa