SDF, Turkey-backed factions clash in eastern Aleppo countryside: SOHR
3 Min Read
The clashes follow the deployment of reinforcements by Turkey-backed factions in an attempt to deter any potential SDF offensive.
-
Female fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) attend a military parade before the funeral of senior Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Nuredin Sofi, in Qamishli, northeastern Syria, Tuesday, Aug 12, 2025 (AP)
More than ten artillery shells struck the vicinity of the Tishreen Dam in the eastern Aleppo countryside, following an exchange of fire between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkey-backed factions, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Sunday.
According to the observatory, the clashes come amid ongoing tensions along frontlines in the region. Monitors previously observed the deployment of reinforcements and military displays by Turkey-backed factions in an attempt to deter any potential SDF offensive.
Sources cited by the observatory said the bombardment reflected an escalation of military tensions, with continued clashes and reciprocal strikes "underscoring the fragility of the security situation and the persistent instability along the confrontation lines."
The SOHR added that the fighting followed reports of the factions acquiring suicide drones and long-range artillery in forward positions, including near the sugar factory. It also reported that an SDF drone targeted Turkish-backed "National Army" factions in the eastern Aleppo countryside.
Earlier this month, the new Syrian regime’s Ministry of Defense accused the SDF of systematically targeting civilians in the region, pointing to a massacre in the village of al-Kiyariyeh on September 10.
The March 10 agreement, stalled integration
The clashes come as the SDF navigates its strained relationship with the new Syrian administration following the fall of the al-Assad regime in December 2024. On March 10, 2025, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi signed a landmark agreement with interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, aiming to integrate SDF military and civilian institutions into the Syrian state.
The deal promised control of borders, oil and gas resources, and constitutional guarantees for Kurdish rights. However, implementation has stalled, and since August 2025, clashes between the SDF and Syrian government forces have escalated.
Recent incidents included deadly confrontations near Dayr Hafir, al-Khafsah, and the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo. On September 21, mutual shelling in Umm al-Tineh killed at least seven civilians, according to the observatory.
Turkey’s pressure on Damascus, SDF
Turkey has positioned itself as a key actor in the war, warning it is prepared to support military operations against the SDF if the March 10 agreement continues to stall. Ankara views the Kurdish-led force as an extension of the PKK and has pressured Damascus to scale back cooperation with the SDF.
As of late September 2025, the March 10 agreement remains largely unimplemented, with both sides trading accusations over ceasefire violations.
