DAMASCUS, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Three civilians were killed and several other people were wounded on Tuesday after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched drone attacks on positions of the Syrian army in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, state media reported, marking a further escalation following renewed tensions a day earlier.
The drones struck army deployment areas near the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, killing three civilians and wounding several others, including three Defense Ministry personnel, state news agency SANA reported. Aleppo's media directorate said the attack extended to areas near al-Shihan roundabout, calling it a "new violation" of agreements between the SDF and the Syrian government.
Internal security forces and police were deployed to regulate traffic and safeguard civilians following the attack, according to SANA.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, offered a different account, reporting exchanges of fire and shelling between SDF-linked forces and factions affiliated with Syria's Defense Ministry east of Aleppo. The monitor said the clashes caused casualties on both sides and damaged civilian infrastructure, including electricity networks. These claims could not be independently verified.
The SDF, meanwhile, accused government-linked factions of "random shelling" on civilian areas, including Deir Hafir and neighborhoods near Sheikh Maqsoud, saying one projectile veered off course and struck a nearby residential district. In several statements, the SDF asserted its right to self-defense, holding Syrian government-affiliated forces responsible for what it called a "planned escalation."
Tuesday's violence followed a flare-up reported on Monday, when Syrian military sources reported that the army targeted alleged SDF drone launch sites near Deir Hafir following attacks that reportedly injured civilians and military police personnel. The SDF denied those allegations, calling them fabricated and reiterating its commitment to restraint.
The renewed clashes come just two days after a high-level meeting in Damascus between a delegation of the SDF, led by its general commander Mazloum Abdi, and officials from Syria's transitional government. Held on Sunday, the talks focused on advancing the military integration process but yielded no tangible progress, with both sides agreeing only to continue discussions through joint committees.
These negotiations are part of a broader framework outlined in the agreement signed between the Syrian government and the SDF under international sponsorship on March 10, 2025, which aims to integrate SDF-controlled forces and institutions into the Syrian state, unify command structures, and reduce fragmentation in northern and northeastern Syria. Despite initial optimism, implementation has repeatedly stalled, amid mutual accusations of delays and ongoing security incidents. ■
