ALBAWABA- Violent clashes broke out between Syrian government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Aleppo, triggering injuries and the displacement of dozens of civilians, according to Syrian state media and statements from both sides.
The state-run news agency SANA reported that SDF units fired on internal security forces near the Shihan and Lermon roundabouts from positions in the Ashrafieh neighborhood.
The exchange of fire injured civilians and civil defense volunteers, forcing dozens of families to flee the area. SANA added that the Gaziantep–Aleppo road was closed near the Lermon and Shihan roundabouts after coming under SDF fire.
In response, the SDF media center said two of its fighters were wounded when factions affiliated with Syria’s Ministry of Defense attacked one of its checkpoints in Aleppo. The SDF blamed the Syrian government for the escalation.
Earlier, Syria’s Al-Ikhbariya television reported that SDF snipers had targeted an internal security checkpoint north of Aleppo, wounding two security personnel. Videos circulating on social media showed clashes between Syrian army units and the SDF following the attack.
SANA later said that dozens of families fled the vicinity of the Lermon neighborhood after what it described as an SDF assault, as tensions intensified across northern Aleppo.
The clashes come amid growing political friction over the implementation of a March 10 agreement between Damascus and the SDF, which calls for the group’s integration into state institutions.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani said Damascus had not seen any “serious initiative” from the SDF to implement the agreement, accusing the group of delaying the process.
Al-Shaybani said the government had submitted a proposal offering flexibility, adding that the SDF’s response was now under review by the Ministry of Defense. He warned that continued delays in integration would undermine stability in eastern Syria.
For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said during talks in Damascus that the Kurdish-led SDF appeared unwilling to move forward with integration into Syrian state structures.
Fidan argued that the group must stop obstructing Syria’s unity and claimed that coordination between the SDF and Israel was hindering the implementation of the agreement. Fidan’s remarks came during a joint visit to Syria with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, as Ankara and Damascus discussed bilateral relations and the future of the agreement with the SDF.
