The Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have accused armed groups loyal to the Syrian transitional government of attacking their positions in the Deir Hafer area of Aleppo province.
The Syrian Ministry of Defence said that the Kurdish SDF opened fire on army units in Deir Hafer using rocket-propelled grenades. According to their information, four soldiers were wounded in the shelling. In response, forces under Damascus’ control launched an artillery strike on the firing positions. However, the SDF leadership rejected these accusations.
The SDF statement said: “On Monday at exactly 3:00 a.m., forces affiliated with the Syrian transitional government attacked four of our positions in the village of al-Imam in the Deir Hafer area. Our units successfully repelled the attack.”
According to SDF representatives, the ensuing battle lasted about 20 minutes without interruption.
“We hold the official Damascus fully responsible for these actions. We emphasise that our forces are more than ever ready to exercise their legitimate right to respond decisively and with full force,” the statement said.
The SDF is a paramilitary structure formed with US support under the pretext of fighting ISIS. The organisation is based on Kurdish units led by the Democratic Union Party (PYD). The SDF controls the north-eastern part of Syria, about a third of the country’s territory. Since the beginning of the conflict in 2011, the Kurds have declared autonomy there with their own administration, independent of Damascus. This territory contains key oil and gas fields, as well as significant agricultural land.
In February 2025, SDF commander General Mazloum Abdi held talks with interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The parties discussed the need for cooperation in the field of security, the prevention of direct clashes between the Syrian army and the SDF, and the prospects for the integration of Kurdish autonomy into the state structures.
