Syrian army, Kurdish-led SDF accuse each other of ceasefire violations

A file image of the Syrian army. | Photo Credit: Reuters

• Syrian army and SDF accuse each other of ceasefire violations near Aleppo
• Recent clashes follow a 15-day extension of the fragile ceasefire agreement
• Ceasefire strain casts doubt on lasting peace in northeast Syria

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A fragile ceasefire between the Syrian army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has come under strain, with both sides accusing each other of violating its terms even as the truce remains broadly in effect, according to Syrian state media and Kurdish sources, reported Al Jazeera.

The Syrian army said on Sunday that the SDF launched multiple drone attacks in the countryside around Aleppo, breaching the recently extended ceasefire and targeting deployment sites near the town of Ain al-Arab, also known as Kobane.

The military claimed the strikes destroyed several vehicles and caused civilian injuries along the M4 highway and in surrounding villages, though some of the drones were reportedly shot down, reported Al Jazeera.

In response, the SDF said government forces had conducted attacks southeast of Ain al-Arab, including heavy artillery shelling of residential neighbourhoods, triggering clashes between the two sides.

"As a result of these attacks, violent clashes erupted between our forces and the attacking factions," the group said in a statement on X.

The latest accusations come just a day after the Syrian government announced a 15-day extension of the ceasefire initially agreed earlier in January, aimed in part at facilitating the transfer of detainees linked to the Islamic State from SDF-controlled facilities, reported Al Jazeera.

Government troops have also seized swathes of territory in the north and east from the SDF in recent weeks, consolidating the authority of President Ahmed al-Sharaa's administration, a move that has complicated efforts to integrate Kurdish fighters into state institutions under the ceasefire deal, reported Al Jazeera.

The mutual blame highlights how tenuous the ceasefire remains amid ongoing mistrust and intermittent clashes, raising questions about the prospects for lasting peace and stability in northeast Syria.