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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

SDF says Damascus-linked groups attacked positions in Deir ez-Zor, even as merge discussions continue

2025-11-23

[Rudaw] The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday said they responded after their positions in eastern Deir ez-Zor came under attack by Damascus-affiliated groups.

"Groups affiliated with Damascus government factions targeted a number of our forces' headquarters in the town of Abu Hamam in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor," the SDF said, adding that they "began a legitimate response to the sources of fire according to the rules of engagement."

The SDF and Damascus have repeatedly accused the other of targeting their positions. The Kurdish-led SDF said the government-allied gangs are putting civilian populations at risk.

"These groups continue to shell military headquarters and civilian homes with rockets and heavy weapons randomly and directly, targeting three military points in the area... [and are] using drones and suicide drones in their attacks, which poses a doubled danger to the lives of peaceful residents," it said.

The SDF is the de facto military force of northeast Syria (Rojava) and the main on-the-ground ally of the US-led coalition.

Syria’s defense ministry said on Thursday that two of its soldiers were killed and several others injured in what it attributed to an SDF attack. Hours earlier, the SDF said its units struck several sites in Raqqa linked to the Islamic State

...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS) and used to launch drones. It accused factions aligned with Damascus of facilitating the attacks.

The flare-up comes while the two sides are in talks about implementing an agreement to integrate the SDF into the national army. They disagree on fundamental points, however, such as the SDF wanting to integrate as a unified bloc, while Damascus insists on absorbing fighters individually into regular army units.

Sinam Mohamad, Washington representative of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) that is the political wing of the SDF, told Rudaw on Friday that there is an understanding that small units of the Kurdish-led security forces will remain in place.

Earlier this month, Syria joined the US-led coalition against ISIS, becoming its 90th member.

Speaking in Duhok on Wednesday, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi welcomed Syria’s accession to the group and said he hoped it would accelerate the integration process. He also urged regional countries, including ~~The Sick Man of Europe~~ Turkey
...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire...
, not to view the effort to incorporate his forces into state institutions as a threat.

More from Rudaw:

Rojava has agreed with Damascus to integrate its civil and military institutions into state structures. Talks about how the integration will proceed have been ongoing for months. One issue is the future of Rojava’s female security forces.

Mohammed said that as the current Syrian army does not accommodate women, the United States, which has been mediating the negotiations, "also supports the idea that YPJ [Women Protection Units] remain as they are in North and East Syria."

The SDF has strong support in Washington, according to Mohammed.

US Congressman Abraham Hamadeh’s office announced on Friday that he spoke with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi. Hamadeh’s office, in a social media post, said he thanked Abdi "for appointing a dedicated liaison to recover the remains of Arizonan Kayla Mueller," who was killed in Syria in 2015 when she was being held captive by the Islamic State

(ISIS).

Abdi "praised President Trump’s decision to lift sanctions and urged sustained U.S. backing for pluralistic governance," according to Hamadeh’s office.

Mohammed said that the discussion between Abdi and Hamadeh reflects Washington’s ongoing support for the Kurdish-led force.

"Members of Congress continue to support the SDF because they know the SDF had a big role in the fight against terrorism," she said, adding that the "SDF is an organized and reliable" partner of the US in Syria.

The SDF is a key ally of the US-led global coalition to defeat ISIS, which Syria officially joined earlier this month.

Another issue of discussion between Rojava and Damascus is that of governance. Kurds and other minority groups have raised objections about the centralization of power that the interim Syrian government has undertaken.

"We want a decentralized government out of these negotiations. This is for the protection of all national components of Syria, not just Kurds in north and east Syria," said Mohammed.

The US government "wants to see a government that includes everyone," she said, adding that Washington has tied lifting sanctions to Damascus’ commitment to protecting the rights of the minorities in Syria.

"Caesar sanctions have not been lifted completely because some Congress members have some reservations about the Syrian government, so they need to put some conditions for the complete lifting of sanctions," Mohamad said, noting that "If the Syrian government breaks the promises, then the sanctions would be reactivated."

Posted by:trailing wife

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