Fighting has erupted between forces affiliated with the Julani-led administration and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the eastern countryside of Aleppo province, according to statements from both sides.
The Ministry of Defense of the Julani administration said Sunday it had responded to shelling by the SDF on the village of al-Kiyariyeh and its surrounding areas near the city of Manbij.
According to its statement, the army identified and targeted a rocket launcher and artillery system allegedly used in the attack near the town of Maskanah in eastern Aleppo.
Syria’s official news agency, SANA, reported that seven people, including four Syrian army personnel, were wounded in what it described as artillery and mortar fire by SDF-aligned militias on al-Kiyariyeh.
The Julani-led administration called the SDF’s shelling “irresponsible” and said the motives behind the attack remain unclear.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera cited local sources reporting simultaneous attacks targeting SDF positions in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zur province.
In response, the SDF’s media center rejected claims by the Julani administration that its forces had been behind the shelling.
The group said it reserves the right to self-defense but emphasized the need to respect the ceasefire and called on the Julani government to rein in what it described as “uncontrolled elements.”
Both sides have traded accusations over responsibility for the escalation.
