ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Tuesday that forces affiliated with the interim authorities in Damascus attacked one of its positions in eastern Deir ez-Zor late Monday without resulting in casualties and prompting a response to the source.
In a statement, the SDF’s media office said that “at exactly 11:25 pm [local time] last night, armed men from Damascus government factions attacked points belonging to our forces in the town of Abu Hamam in the eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside, from the other side of the Euphrates River, using machine guns, without any casualties among our forces.”
The Kurdish-led forces added that they “immediately responded to the source of fire and took all necessary measures to ensure the security of the points and protect the area.”
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the Kurdish-led SDF and Damascus.
Earlier on Monday, the SDF dismissed “misleading” statements from Syria’s defense ministry claiming that SDF forces were increasing their presence in eastern Aleppo. The Syrian Arab Army had warned it “will not stand idle” in response to the alleged buildup.
The exchange follows an internationally mediated ceasefire that came into effect on Sunday, ending deadly clashes in Aleppo’s Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud. The fighting pitted Syrian government forces and allied armed groups against the Kurdish-led Internal Security Forces (Asayish), which are linked to the SDF.
Prior to the ceasefire, the SDF and Damascus had repeatedly traded accusations of targeting each other’s positions, as talks stalled over implementing a landmark March 10 agreement. The deal aimed to integrate institutions in northeast Syria (Rojava) into state structures and establish a nationwide ceasefire.
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