SDF asserts 'right to retaliate' against strikes near Deir Hafer
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The SDF denies attacking the Syrian army and blames government forces for escalating clashes in Deir Hafer and shelling near al-Kiyariyah.
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A Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter stands guard during a gathering to celebrate Nowruz, Kurdish New Year, in Qamishli, northeastern Syria, Friday, March 21, 2025 (AP)
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) responded to statements made by the Media and Communications Department of Syria's Ministry of Defense, claiming its forces came under attack by the SDF, expressing their rejection of these claims.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the SDF stated that the unfolding events were contrary to the Ministry's claims, accusing what it called "uncontrolled factions operating within government forces [of] continuing their provocations and repeated attacks on the contact areas in Deir Hafer," south of the eastern Aleppo countryside.
The SDF clarified that the incident occurred on Saturday evening when these factions bombarded populated areas with artillery, firing more than 10 shells without justification, while the SDF "exercised its full right to self-defense by responding to the sources of the attacks." It accused the Syrian Defense Ministry of "trying to distort the facts and mislead public opinion," stressing that such actions undermine security and stability.
The US-backed Kurdish group added that its forces exercised maximum restraint in the face of repeated attacks and provocations by these factions, which have continued digging trenches and deploying armed personnel in recent periods, confirming their intent to escalate tensions.
Responding to statements from Syria's Defense Ministry media office about alleged attacks on its positions, the Kurdish-led forces firmly rejected these claims. In a Sunday statement, officials argued the opposite was true, accusing uncontrolled factions within government forces of repeatedly provoking clashes along the Deir Hafer contact lines in eastern Aleppo's southern countryside.
Syria's Defense Ministry strikes SDF
The Syrian Defense Ministry's media office had previously told the state-run SANA news agency that army forces successfully repelled an infiltration attempt by SDF fighters near the village of al-Kiyariyah in the Manbij countryside, where they had targeted one of the military's deployment positions.
The Defense Ministry stated that SDF forces had irresponsibly launched rocket attacks targeting civilian homes in al-Kiyariyah village and the surrounding areas of rural Manbij, without any clear justification.
The Ministry further reported that the attack wounded four soldiers and three civilians with varying injuries, while army units were responding to the sources of fire that had targeted civilian villages near their deployment lines.
It also announced precise strikes targeting the firing positions used in the SDF's shelling of al-Kiyariyah village and surrounding areas, adding that army forces had successfully identified and engaged both a rocket launcher and a field artillery piece deployed during the attacks near Maskana city in eastern Aleppo governorate.
