The Syrian Arab Army has executed targeted military operations against Kurdish-led forces in eastern Aleppo province, marking a significant escalation in ongoing tensions. According to a military source interviewed by Ikhbariya TV, army units identified and struck drone-launching positions operated by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) near the town of Deir Hafer.
This military response comes directly after Syria’s Defense Ministry reported six combined civilian and military casualties from an SDF drone attack on Monday evening. Official statements characterized this incident as a ‘new escalation’ despite ongoing negotiations between the government and the militia group.
The Syrian military institution emphasized that its retaliatory measures would remain ‘limited’ in scope, though no specific operational details were disclosed regarding future operations or strategic objectives.
This confrontation occurs against a backdrop of fundamental political disagreements. In late December, Syria’s Foreign Ministry formally rejected the SDF’s decentralization proposal, warning that such initiatives threaten national unity and cement the authority of de facto entities in northeastern regions.
The SDF, which maintains control over approximately one-quarter of Syrian territory across Hasakah, Raqqa, and Deir Ezzor provinces with substantial U.S. support, now faces increased military pressure from government forces amid these unresolved political disputes.