SDF Accuses Damascus “cover-up” After Deadly Strike on Eastern Aleppo
SDF accuses Damascus of a "cover-up" after a strike on Um Tineh killed 7 civilians, including women & children. Syria's Defense Ministry denies responsibility, blaming the SDF for the shelling. Source: Conflicting SDF and Ministry statements.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A deadly escalation in eastern Aleppo has ignited a fierce battle of narratives between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian Ministry of Defense, after seven civilians were killed and four others wounded in attacks on the village of Um Tineh in the Deir Hafer countryside.
On Sunday, the SDF accused Damascus of attempting to deflect blame for what it described as a massacre carried out by pro-government factions. In a statement, the SDF said the remarks issued by the Ministry of Defense’s media office were “nothing more than a transparent attempt to escape responsibility for the crime.”
The SDF declared that “this flimsy narrative reflects the ministry’s confusion in trying to cover up the repeated crimes and assaults of its factions. It is not merely media evasion but an outrageous contempt for civilian lives.” The statement further charged that the Ministry “participates in the crime twice—once through artillery and again through denial.”
The SDF said it holds the Damascus government “fully responsible for the massacre, which is confirmed by name,” and urged it to restrain its militias and engage in a peaceful path that prioritizes the lives and security of Syrians above political and military calculations.
According to the SDF, the incident unfolded on Saturday evening when pro-Damascus groups, which the SDF described as loyal to Turkey, launched a drone attack on Um Tineh, followed by intense artillery bombardment at around 7:00 p.m., directly striking homes.
“Seven civilians were killed and four others injured in this massacre,” the SDF said. It released the names of the victims: Amineh Mohammed al-Azzawi (75), Fatima Haya Ubaid (65), Amineh Mohammed al-Hamza (22), Aisha Hamza Ubaid (18), Hamza Ubaid al-Razzaq (4), Abdul Ghani Rahman al-Ubaid (1), and Rahaf Hussein al-Azzawi (23).
Those wounded were identified as Jumaa Hamoud al-Muhisen (60), Mariam Hamoud al-Muhisen (55), Halima Mahmoud al-Muhisen (65), and Amineh Hamoud al-Amoura (20).
The SDF also noted that earlier on Saturday, a drone belonging to the transitional Syrian authorities had targeted one of its military positions in the Aleppo countryside.
The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) also issued a strong condemnation on Saturday, accusing Damascus-linked factions connected to Turkey of committing a “horrific massacre” in Um Tineh. The statement said: “These attacks began with drones, followed by concentrated artillery bombardment that directly targeted civilian homes, killing seven people, including women and children, and injuring four others.”
DAANES stressed that such actions come at a time when Syria needs collective efforts to build a secure and stable future away from violence and exclusion. It added that “the Syrian people have suffered for over a decade from killings, destruction, and massacres, and such practices prove that some parties are not serious about building a new Syria based on freedom, democracy, and social justice.”
The administration underscored the necessity of accountability, saying: “The perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice and not allowed to escape punishment. We call on the international community to assume its ethical and humanitarian responsibilities toward civilians who are continuously subjected to such assaults.”
The Asayish (Internal Security Forces) released a separate statement condemning the atrocity as a “barbaric massacre designed to break the will of our people and spread fear among unarmed civilians.” The force pledged that “these violations will not go unpunished” and also urged the international community to ensure protection for Syrians and stop “the systematic crimes being committed against them.”
In stark contrast, the Syrian Ministry of Defense denied any role in the Um Tineh attack, accusing the SDF itself of being behind the civilian casualties. In comments to the state-run SANA news agency on Sunday, the ministry said that at 18:20 on Saturday, SDF units fired mortar shells at the villages of Tel Maaz, Alsa, and Al-Kiyaria in eastern Aleppo. It claimed that during this shelling, rockets were observed being launched from an SDF multiple rocket launcher toward Um Tineh, which is under government control.
The ministry stated: “We categorically deny what their media claims regarding the Syrian Arab Army targeting Um Tineh. The side that shelled the village was the SDF itself.” It further accused the SDF of persistently targeting civilians in the region, pointing to a September 10 incident in Al-Kiyaria where, according to Damascus, two civilians were killed and three others injured by SDF fire.
The ministry concluded by affirming that it “continues to perform its national duty in defending Syrians and preserving their security and stability” while holding the SDF “fully responsible for the massacre it committed against the residents of Um Tineh, in an attempt to falsely accuse the Syrian Arab Army.”
The contradictory narratives underscore the deep divide between Damascus and the autonomous administration in northeastern Syria. While the SDF and DAANES demand accountability, framing the killings as part of a sustained campaign against civilians, Damascus insists the SDF itself is the perpetrator.
The Um Tineh massacre highlights not only the precariousness of civilian safety in contested areas but also the extent to which competing accusations, denial, and politicization continue to obstruct efforts at establishing truth and justice in Syria’s long-running conflict.
