Hasakah, northeast Syria – The Kurdish-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Saturday that its fighters carried out “precise strikes” against positions of the Syrian government’s forces in rural Aleppo, after one of its sites was targeted by a government drone.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the SDF said a drone operated by pro-Damascus fighters struck one of its military points near Deir Hafer, in Aleppo’s eastern countryside. The group reported no casualties or material damage from the attack.
The SDF claimed its units “immediately responded with accurate fire, scoring confirmed hits that forced the attackers to withdraw,” and stressed its readiness to repel “any aggression” against its positions.
Syria’s state news agency SANA, however, reported that SDF fighters had shelled areas near the village of Tal Maaz in Aleppo’s countryside.
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The flare-up comes just days after SDF commander Mazloum Abdi urged restraint, warning against “provocations designed to drag the region into conflict.” At a recent leadership meeting with local military councils, Abdi reaffirmed the group’s commitment to ongoing talks with the Damascus-based transitional authorities under a March 10 agreement, as well as to maintaining an existing ceasefire.
The SDF also reiterated its willingness to pursue negotiations, including potential integration into the Syrian army, while highlighting its role as a multi-ethnic force drawn from across northern and eastern Syria.
At the same time, the group warned of a “noticeable increase” in Islamic State (ISIS) activity in recent weeks, pledging to continue joint operations with the U.S.-led coalition to counter the threat and secure detention facilities holding thousands of ISIS fighters.
The SDF concluded by underlining its support for a political settlement as the only path to a stable and unified Syria.
