IntelScoops

Aleppo, August 4, 2025 — Tensions flared in northern Syria as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported armed clashes with Syrian government troops in the eastern countryside of Aleppo province, raising concerns over renewed instability in the region.

According to a statement issued by the SDF on Monday, units of the Syrian regime carried out coordinated attacks on at least four SDF positions near the town of Dayr Hafir. The SDF said its fighters returned fire in what they described as a “defensive engagement,” though no casualties were confirmed by either side at the time of reporting.

“We consider this a direct breach of the fragile deconfliction understanding,” the SDF said in a brief statement. “We reserve the right to respond proportionately to any further aggression.”

The Syrian government has not issued an official statement regarding the incident.

Strategic Location and Ongoing Frictions

Dayr Hafir, located east of Aleppo city, sits near critical supply corridors and has witnessed multiple shifts in control over the course of the Syrian conflict. While largely quiet in recent months, the area remains militarily sensitive due to overlapping patrols and contested control between regime-aligned forces and Kurdish-led formations.

Analysts say the incident, though limited in scale, highlights the deep-rooted mistrust between Damascus and the SDF, despite occasional tactical cooperation in some regions.

“The SDF is under pressure from multiple sides — Turkey, ISIS remnants, and now episodes like this with regime forces,” said a regional security observer based in Erbil. “What’s worrying is that these skirmishes can escalate without warning.”

No Foreign Troop Involvement Reported

There were no reports of involvement by Russian or U.S. coalition forces, both of which operate in overlapping Syrian territories under separate mandates. Local sources said tensions eased later in the day, though troop movements continued around the contested area.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the U.S.-led coalition in the fight against ISIS, control large parts of northeast Syria, while the government of Bashar al-Assad seeks to reclaim full territorial sovereignty.

As of Monday evening, the situation around Dayr Hafir remained tense but calm.