SDF Deny Deir Hafir Attack Claims Amid Escalating Tensions in Aleppo

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Monday denied claims that they targeted a military police checkpoint near the town of Deir Hafir, east of Aleppo, warning that the allegations were fabricated and aimed at justifying further escalation.

In a statement issued by its Media Center, the SDF rejected accusations made by the Media and Communications Administration of the Syrian Ministry of Defense, stressing that its forces carried out no activities, movements, or military operations in the area on January 5.

“These claims are entirely fabricated and suspicious, intended to create pretexts for an unjustified escalation,” the statement said, adding that the entity responsible for issuing the allegations would bear full responsibility for any consequences.

The SDF also reaffirmed its commitment to restraint and adherence to established protocols, despite rising tensions and conflicting narratives surrounding recent clashes in and around Aleppo.

Later, SDF in a statement announced that "Our forces affirm their full and legitimate right to defend both our fighters and our people amid the ongoing indiscriminate shelling currently targeting the city of Deir Hafer by the “Al-Amshat” and “Al-Hamzat” factions, affiliated with the Damascus government and listed under international sanctions. These factions are deliberately targeting civilian homes, placing the lives of residents at extreme risk."

Update – Our forces affirm their full and legitimate right to defend both our fighters and our people amid the ongoing indiscriminate shelling currently targeting the city of Deir Hafer by the “Al-Amshat” and “Al-Hamzat” factions, affiliated with the Damascus government and…

— Syrian Democratic Forces (@SDF_Syria) January 5, 2026

The denial comes against the backdrop of renewed fighting that erupted last month in predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo, including Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh, following the collapse of a fragile truce. The clashes involved exchanges of fire around key checkpoints and were accompanied by competing accusations from the SDF, Syrian government forces, and affiliated armed groups.

Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), told Kurdistan24 that the violence was fueled by armed factions operating under government structures, accusing them of targeting Kurdish neighborhoods and spreading disinformation. He dismissed official Syrian narratives and claims echoed by some regional media outlets, saying the incidents were documented “by sound and image.”

Abdulrahman said armed groups integrated into government forces fired rocket-propelled grenades toward Internal Security Forces near the Sheikh Maqsood roundabout, after which official media accused Kurdish and SDF-affiliated forces of responsibility, despite their absence from the area.

The Internal Security Forces, known as Asayish, have said one of their checkpoints near Sheikh Maqsood was hit by RPG fire from groups affiliated with Damascus, prompting a limited response aimed at preventing further escalation. They stressed continued restraint and ongoing contacts to restore the calm.

Syrian state media, meanwhile, reported conflicting accounts, including claims of wounded customs police on the Aleppo–Raqqa road and accusations that SDF-affiliated snipers targeted government security personnel at other checkpoints.

The SDF’s statement denying involvement in Deir Hafir underscores the fragility of the ceasefire reached under US diplomatic pressure in March, as tensions persist amid unresolved disputes over security arrangements, media narratives, and the broader political and military future of northern Syria.

Updated at 11:16 P.M.