Clashes broke out between the Syrian army and Kurdish militias in Aleppo city on Monday, with each side reporting casualties and accusing the other of attacking first.
The fighting started as Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan called on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to honour an agreement to integrate with the new Syrian military created after the overthrow of the dictator Bashar Al Assad a year ago.
A statement on Syria’s state news agency, Sana, said the SDF was “targeting the vicinity of the Ashrafieh neighbourhood and the area extending from Shihan roundabout to Lairamoun roundabout with heavy machine guns, RPGs and mortars”.
Sana said a civilian had been killed in SDF shelling and rocket fire, and posted video of people fleeing their homes.
The head of the civil defence media office in Aleppo said earlier in a message to journalists that two first responders had been shot, one in the neck and one in the shoulder, by members of a Kurdish militia that controls two districts of north-western Aleppo. The wounded were taken to hospital, he added.
The SDF said two members of its internal security forces were injured in the clashes, in what it said was “an attack carried out by factions affiliated with the Damascus government's Defence Ministry”. “We hold the Damascus government fully responsible for these attacks,” the SDF said in a statement.
It later reported that five civilians were injured the clashes.
Sana said Kurdish militias also attacked positions held by the Syrian internal security forces, and that the main road to the Turkish border was closed by the fighting.
Machinegun and rifle fire could be heard around the city in videos online. The reason for the clashes was not immediately clear, but it is not the first time urban violence has broken out in the area. Fighting started in October before the Defence Ministry announced a ceasefire.
Kurdish fighters with the US-backed SDF retained control of the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh districts in Aleppo after the fall of the Assad regime. The SDF, which also holds large areas of territory east of the Euphrates river, has not integrated into the central Syrian security forces, despite agreeing to do so in March.
Speaking at joint press conference following talks with his Turkish counterpart in Damascus, Mr Al Shibani said that any that any delay in the integration of the SDF would be bad for the areas it controls and hinder the reconstruction process there. He said the government has not seen any serious initiative or will from the SDF to put the March 10 agreement to integrate into Syria's state apparatus into practice.
“We received a response yesterday from the Syrian Democratic Forces regarding the implementation of the March 10 agreement, and we are currently reviewing this response,” he said. The agreement signed by SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara called for Kurdish integration into the central military and civilian authorities by the end of this year.
But with the deadline looming, this has not happened. Despite US mediation, disagreements have emerged, in particular over whether SDF fighters will be allowed to remain as whole units or be dispersed across Syrian army brigades. Clashes continue along the front line between government troops and the SDF in the north-east, especially around the Tishreen dam.
Mr Fidan said it was essential to put the March 10 agreement into practice, but that the SDF did not appear to have any intention of doing so. “We emphasise that its integration into the government will be in everyone's interest,” he told the conference. He accused the group of co-ordinating with Israel, and said that this is creating an obstacle.
Mr Al Shara met Mr Fidan and the Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler earlier on Monday. During their meeting, Mr Al Shara and the Turkish ministers discussed bilateral relations and the latest regional developments, Syria's state news agency reported.
Mr Al Shibani told reporters that the President discussed important topics with the Turkish delegation, foremost among them economic and trade co-operation, especially after the lifting of US sanctions on Syria, as well as strengthening intelligence and military co-operation and the return of refugees.
“We discussed combating terrorism and fighting ISIS to prevent its resurgence in Syria, and developing a joint vision regarding north-eastern Syria,” he added. The relationship between Syria and Turkey is important and is developing day by day in all sectors, he said.
