SDF Says Calm Restored in Raqqa Countryside After Shelling, Amid Deadly Clashes With Syrian Army

ERBIL (Kudistan24) – Calm has returned to the Ghanem al-Ali desert east of Raqqa following artillery shelling by pro-Damascus factions, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Thursday, even as both sides confirmed that two Syrian soldiers were killed in separate overnight clashes — one of the most serious confrontations since a political reconciliation framework was announced earlier this year.

In a statement released on platform X, the SDF said artillery fire from factions affiliated with the Syrian government did not result in any human or material losses in Ghanem al-Ali, but accused the groups of deliberately escalating tensions.

“Our forces hold these factions directly accountable for this escalation, as they attempt to create security tensions in the region and endanger civilian lives,” the SDF said, reaffirming its commitment to restraint while maintaining the right to respond to any aggression.

The announcement came hours after the Syrian Defense Ministry said two army soldiers were killed in clashes shortly after midnight in the Maadan area of Raqqa province. According to the ministry, quoted by the state-run SANA news agency, SDF fighters launched a “heavy pre-attack bombardment” on government positions, prompting Syrian forces to respond with counterfire and retake several points.

The SDF has not yet directly commented on the Maadan clashes, but Thursday’s statement referencing the Ghanem al-Ali shelling signals growing volatility across the broader Raqqa countryside, where government troops, U.S.-backed Kurdish forces, and remnants of ISIS operate in overlapping zones of control.

The incidents highlight the fragility of security arrangements in northeastern Syria (Western Kurdistan), despite efforts earlier this year to establish a political reconciliation framework between Damascus and the autonomous administration.