Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) exchanged fire Tuesday in eastern Aleppo province, in a possible escalation following days of clashes in the northern city.
No casualties were immediately reported. Tensions have grown amid stalled negotiations over integrating SDF fighters into the national army, as outlined in a March 2025 agreement between the Damascus government and the SDF.
The Syrian army declared the Deir Hafer area, about 60 kilometers east of Aleppo city, a “closed military zone.” Government officials accused the SDF of mobilizing forces there and using the area to launch drone attacks.
The SDF said government forces shelled the Deir Hafer district, then used drones, rockets, and artillery to target a nearby village. Syrian state television later reported that the SDF struck the village of Homeima, west of Deir Hafer, using drones.
Last week’s clashes in Aleppo displaced tens of thousands and ended with the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters from the Sheikh Maqsud neighborhood. Aleppo Governor Azzam Ghareeb said government forces had taken control of both Sheikh Maqsud and Achrafieh.
A drone strike hit the Aleppo governorate building Saturday shortly after two Cabinet ministers and a local official held a press conference. The SDF denied involvement and denied mobilizing in the area.
The agreement between the interim government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the SDF calls for the integration of thousands of fighters into the Syrian army by the end of 2025. Disagreements remain over how to implement the deal.
Some factions within the Syrian army were previously aligned with Turkey and have opposed Kurdish forces. Turkey regards the SDF as a terrorist group due to its ties with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), though a peace process is ongoing.
The SDF, which has partnered with the United States in operations against the Islamic State group, expressed frustration with Washington, alleging a lack of support in enforcing the integration agreement.
“The American government needs to clarify its position of the Syrian government which is committing massacres,” SDF Foreign Relations official Elham Ahmad said Tuesday. She accused government forces of violations and said foreign fighters were involved in the clashes.
An interview with President al-Sharaa scheduled to air Monday on Shams TV—a broadcaster in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region—was postponed for unspecified technical reasons.
