Chaotic Clashes Erupt in Syria Between Jihadist Government and Kurds

Fighting broke out in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Monday between Kurdish fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and security troops loyal to President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Nabiaha al Taha/Anadolu via Getty Images Syrian state media and Kurdish sources gave conflicting accounts of how the battle broke out and how many civilians were killed and wounded in the crossfire. The SDF issued a statement on Monday accusing “factions affiliated with the interim defense ministry” of launching an unprovoked attack on a security checkpoint jointly manned by central government troops and the Asayish, the internal security force of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of Syria. The SDF said the attack was “a clear continuation of uncontrolled escalation that threatens the city’s security and civilian lives” and provided further evidence of “the Damascus government’s inability to control its factions.” According to the SDF account, the scuffle at the checkpoint quickly escalated and spread to surrounding Kurdish-majority neighborhoods in Aleppo, where “Damascus-affiliated factions used mortar shells and heavy weapons,” causing “the injury of five civilians, including a young girl.” The Syrian Interior Ministry rejected the SDF statement, instead accusing SDF forces stationed in Aleppo of “treacherously attacking the internal security forces at the joint checkpoints.” “The attack left one member of the internal security forces and one army soldier injured, along with multiple injuries among civil defense personnel and civilians,” the Interior Ministry said. The Syrian Defense Ministry further accused the SDF of deliberately targeting civilians and attacking the Syrian Arab Army, remnants of deposed dictator Bashar Assad’s army that have since switched their allegiance to the new “interim government” headed by Sharaa. Adding to the confusion, the Syrian Civil Defense Agency said the SDF opened fire on one of their vehicles, injuring two of their emergency responders. The SDF is a Kurdish-led militia that served as a major U.S. ally during the Syrian Civil War and the battle against the Islamic State. The SDF has been reluctant to fully integrate with Sharaa’s government in Damascus, in part because the Kurds do not fully trust the jihadi groups that form the backbone of Sharaa’s ruling alliance. SDF leader Mazloum Abdi has met with Sharaa several times in Damascus to work on a road map for fully integrating SDF forces with the national military - and to arrange ceasefires after previous occasions when the SDF clashed with forces loyal to Sharaa. The integration roadmap is commonly known as the “March 10 Agreement,” after the date of a crucial summit between Abdi and Sharaa. The Trump administration has kept Abdi in the loop on President Donald Trump’s meetings with Sharaa, which in November led Syria to formally join the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Abdi applauded Syria joining the coalition, and thanked President Trump for “his leadership on Syria, and for giving the Syrian people a chance for greatness.” One reason this seemingly optimistic process keeps dissolving into armed clashes is the influence of Turkey, which has been supportive of Sharaa’s government but...

Preview: ~500 words