Syrian Government Accuses SDF of Drone Strikes Near Aleppo; Latter Denies Involvement

The Ministry of Defense of the Syrian Transitional Government reported that three of its soldiers were wounded and two military vehicles were disabled on Monday night following a drone attack. The government attributed the strike to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), targeting a military police checkpoint near army deployment points in the vicinity of Deir Hafer, east of Aleppo. The Ministry vowed to respond to the attack "in an appropriate manner."

The SDF Response: In contrast, the SDF media center issued a statement denying the accusations, asserting that their forces conducted no military operations in that area. The SDF described the allegations as "fabricated" to create excuses for "unjustified escalation," emphasizing their commitment to restraint and the ongoing negotiation tracks with the transitional government.

Stalled Negotiations: A government source told "Suriya al-Ikhbariya" that high-level meetings held in Damascus to follow up on the March 10 agreement—which stipulates the integration of civil and military institutions, oil fields, and airports into the state—have failed to yield tangible results. The main sticking point remains the mechanism for integrating SDF forces into the Ministry of Defense. Separately, the Syrian army announced it had thwarted an escape attempt by eight individuals linked to the former regime toward SDF-controlled areas. In a move toward transitional justice, the former State Security chief in Deir ez-Zor, Daas Hassan Ali, appeared before an investigative judge to face charges for gross human rights violations.