(MENAFN) Violent fighting broke out Monday night in Aleppo between Kurdish fighters, including the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and government troops, according to multiple media reports.
At least seven people were killed and dozens more injured in exchanges of gunfire, the North Press Agency reported. Residents in various Aleppo neighborhoods reportedly took to the streets in protest against the government.

Al Arabiya cited the Syrian Defense Ministry stating that the government’s movements were part of a “redeployment plan.” “We are committed to our agreement with the [SDF] and have no intention to carry out any military operations,” the ministry emphasized.

The SDF, however, claimed the clashes were triggered “by provocations from factions of the interim government and their attempts to advance with tanks.”

In April, the Syrian government and the local council representing Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhoods signed an agreement placing the area under Damascus’ authority while maintaining a degree of autonomy for Kurdish institutions. A subsequent agreement outlined the integration of Kurdish civil and military structures into the central government by the end of 2025.

Concerns over further escalation and territorial fragmentation in Syria have grown after months of confrontations between minority groups and government forces. Following the ouster of longtime President Bashar Assad, Islamist factions have reportedly targeted several minority communities, including Alawites, Christians, Kurds, and Druze.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa later reaffirmed that all communities would be included under central authority and stressed that “all weapons must be under the state’s control.”

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