Intense clashes resume between SDF and transitional forces in Raqqa
3 Min Read
Heavy clashes erupted between SDF and transitional government forces east of Raqqa, violating the ceasefire agreement and raising concerns over civilian safety.
-
A Syrian Internal Security Forces officer inspects a home in Damascus, Syria, Friday, November 14, 2025, after it was hit by rockets (AP)
Local sources in Syria reported on Thursday evening that clashes have reignited between factions affiliated with the Ministry of Defense in the transitional government and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) along the Ghanim al-Ali axis and the Maadan desert in eastern Raqqa countryside. The sources described the fighting as “intense,” noting the use of medium and heavy weapons.
Earlier in the day, the SDF said that a brief calm had returned to the Ghanim al-Ali axis following artillery fire carried out by forces aligned with the Damascus government. The group stated that the shelling caused no casualties or material damage.
The SDF accused the Ministry of Defense units of being “directly responsible for this escalation, which aims to create security tension in the area and endanger the lives of civilians.” It reaffirmed that it would continue to exercise restraint, while maintaining “full right to respond to any attack targeting its areas or threatening the security and stability of the region.”
Violation of previous agreement
Northern and eastern regions of Syria have witnessed recurrent clashes between the transitional government’s factions and the SDF, in a continued violation of the ceasefire agreement signed in March. The deal stipulates halting hostilities between the two sides and integrating SDF personnel into Syrian state institutions.
Earlier, the SDF announced that it downed two drones belonging to ISIS in eastern Raqqa, claiming they were launched from areas controlled by factions aligned with the Syrian government.
According to an SDF statement, the drones were intercepted on the Ghanim al-Ali axis, where SDF positions have faced repeated attacks over the past week. The first drone was identified as a Matrice M30 used for reconnaissance, while the second was an FPV attack drone designed to strike targets directly.
