Military operations escalate against Kurdish forces in northern Syria

Northern Syria witnessed a noticeable military escalation between the Turkish-led Syrian National Army and the US-backed Kurdish forces, as operations were concentrated on Sunday in the vicinity of Tishreen Dam, east of Aleppo, and other areas.

The forces of the "Fajr al-Hurriya" operations room affiliated with the Syrian National Army announced that they were able to cut off the main supply route of the SDF militia to Tishreen Dam, located in the countryside of Manbij city, east of Aleppo city. The operation aims to weaken the logistical support lines and tighten the grip on the forces stationed in the area.

In another escalation step, the National Army forces combed training camps belonging to the SDF militia in the vicinity of Tishreen Dam. The clashes in the area resulted in the killing of two SDF members and the removal of their bodies, which increases the tension on the front.

The Turkish drone carried out airstrikes targeting SDF militia sites in various areas, including the Al-Karin area in the countryside of Tabqa, west of Raqqa Governorate, and the Jabal Abdul Aziz area, west of Hasakah, northeastern Syria. These strikes are part of a series of Turkish operations aimed at neutralizing the SDF elements and limiting their influence in northern Syria.

This rapid escalation reflects a clear determination by the Syrian National Army and Turkey to confront the SDF influence in northern and eastern Syria.

The coming days are expected to witness further developments on the ground in light of the ongoing tensions between the conflicting parties.

Swathes of north and northeast Syria are controlled by a Kurdish-led administration whose de facto army, the SDF, spearheaded the fight that helped defeat ISIS in Syria in 2019.

Turkey accuses the main component of the SDF, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), of being affiliated with the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) at home, which both Washington and Ankara consider a “terrorist” group.

Turkey has staged multiple operations in SDF areas since 2016, and Ankara-backed groups have captured several Kurdish-held towns in northern Syria in recent weeks.