Mortar clashes erupt in eastern Aleppo amid new ceasefire breaches
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Syrian forces and the SDF exchanged fire near Deir Hafer, as both sides remain on high alert amid rising tensions and repeated ceasefire violations.
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Syrian security forces stand guard as residents leave the Sheikh Maqsoud and Achrafieh neighborhoods of Aleppo, Syria, Tuesday, October 7, 2025, following overnight clashes between Syrian government troops and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. (AP)
Fresh ceasefire violations were reported on Wednesday morning in the Deir Hafer area of eastern Aleppo, as Syrian General Security forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) exchanged brief mortar fire, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Local sources stated that the shelling was concentrated along frontline positions east of Deir Hafer, with both sides placed on heightened alert. The exchange was brief, and no casualties have been confirmed so far.
This marks the latest incident in a growing pattern of tensions across the eastern Aleppo countryside in recent weeks, as intense clashes were reported near the Tishrin Dam on October 9.
In recent weeks, both the Syrian army and the SDF have accused each other of violating ceasefire agreements, particularly in SDF-controlled areas in Aleppo city and the surrounding countryside.
SDF to join Syrian army under new agreement with Damascus
Last week, the commander of the SDF, Mazloum Abdi, announced a preliminary agreement with the Syrian government to integrate SDF fighters into the national army structure.
"We have formed a committee that will work with the Minister of Defense and other military officials to determine the appropriate mechanisms for integrating our forces into the army," Abdi stated.
He emphasized that based on the "experience and long service" of the SDF, its members will hold "a respected position within the army," noting there is "some flexibility in the Turkish position regarding the inclusion of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the army."
In addition to the military integration, Abdi confirmed that the police forces operating in northeastern Syria will also be merged into Syria’s national security services, indicating a broader unification of local security structures under Damascus's authority.
SDF to integrate into Damascus ministries
Sanharib Barsoum, a member of the negotiating committee representing the autonomous administration in northeastern Syria, provided further details. He said the SDF will be reorganized into three military divisions within the interim government’s military and security forces in Damascus.
Barsoum added that the SDF’s elite counter-terrorism units would be integrated into the central government's counter-terrorism apparatus and would have the mandate to operate across all Syrian territory, according to AP.
Despite the integration, Barsoum clarified that no Syrian government troops will be deployed into the northern and eastern regions currently under SDF control. He added that the SDF’s presence will remain in these areas, operating under the unified structure agreed upon with Damascus.
The announcement marks a significant shift in the relationship between the SDF and the Syrian government, as both sides navigate shared security interests and ongoing regional pressures.
If successful, the integration of the SDF represents a major step toward unifying Syria’s military and security apparatus while recognizing the autonomy of northeastern regions. However, challenges remain regarding decentralization, Kurdish demands, and coordination with regional actors such as Turkey, who still back a major militant force, the Syrian National Army.
