At least 15 fighters affiliated with Turkish-backed Syrian groups were reported killed on Sunday after Kurdish-led forces conducted a successful infiltration into their territory in northern Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a conflict monitoring organization.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls significant portions of northeastern Syria, engaged in violent clashes with the Turkish-backed fighters in the Aleppo countryside. The Observatory revealed that the fighting occurred near the city of al-Bab, a region that has seen increased tensions and conflict in recent years.
As a precautionary measure due to the intensifying violence, local authorities announced the suspension of schools in al-Bab for Monday. An AFP correspondent stationed in the area confirmed that skirmishes were ongoing, reflecting the volatile security situation.
The SDF, which is primarily composed of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), has been a crucial player in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria. The group gained international recognition and support, particularly from the United States, during its efforts to reclaim territories held by IS, culminating in the group’s territorial defeat in 2019. However, the YPG’s ties to the PKK, which is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, has rendered them a target for Turkish military operations aimed at curbing Kurdish influence in the region.
Turkish troops and their allied Syrian rebel factions have established control over several regions in northern Syria through a series of cross-border operations that began in 2016. These offensives have predominantly focused on diminishing the strength and territorial claims of the SDF, exacerbating an already complex and fragmented conflict in Syria.
The recent confrontations illustrate the ongoing hostilities and the shifting dynamics of power in northern Syria, where various factions remain locked in a struggle for control amid the broader backdrop of the Syrian civil war.
