Syria
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters stand guard at Al Naeem Square, in Raqqa, Syria on February 7, 2022. File photo: AP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria said they “successfully thwarted an attack” on their force in Deir ez-Zor province on Friday.
“Our forces successfully thwarted an attack on one of our positions in Al-Jazrat, Deir Ezzor's countryside. An armed group attempted to infiltrate via the Euphrates and fired an RPG. Our forces responded immediately - clashes broke out briefly before the attackers fled,” the SDF said in a statement, adding “no casualties reported among our forces.”
The SDF did not identify the group that carried out the attack.
The US-backed force has been engaged in a series of clashes this month with both Damascus-aligned forces and the Islamic State (ISIS) in separate events.
On Wednesday, two SDF members were killed in an ISIS attack in Deir ez-Zor province.
On Monday, the SDF accused factions affiliated with Damascus of launching an attack on their positions in Syria’s northern Aleppo province. A day earlier, the SDF and Damascus traded blame for an assault in the city of Manbij, also in the north of the country.
The flare-up between the SDF and Damascus is straining an integration deal signed in March by Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi. The agreement aims to fold the SDF into the Syrian state military structure, recognize the Kurds as an integral part of Syria, implement a nationwide ceasefire, and enable the return of displaced Syrians to their hometowns.
Talks on implementing the agreement have stalled for several reasons, including the SDF insisting on integrating into the Syrian army as a unit while Damascus wants them to do so as individuals.
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