In a surge of violent confrontations across northern Syria, 31 fighters have been killed in clashes between Turkey-backed factions and Kurdish-led forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Monday. The deadly encounters underscore the region’s volatility as rival groups vie for control amidst shifting alliances and foreign interventions.
Tensions in Manbij and Aleppo Province
The northeastern Manbij region in Aleppo province has become a hotspot, with the Observatory confirming that seven pro-Turkish fighters were killed on Monday alone. The clashes erupted after Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters reportedly infiltrated the city, recently recaptured by Turkey-backed groups.
Sunday’s skirmishes were equally deadly, leaving six Turkey-backed fighters and three SDF combatants dead, according to the monitor.
Further hostilities near the strategic Tishreen Dam and Euphrates River bridge resulted in the deaths of 13 pro-Turkey fighters and two SDF members. Both sides are reportedly seeking to gain territorial control in this critical area, which has been contested for the past three weeks.
The Turkish-Kurdish Proxy War
The SDF, a coalition led by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), is a major player in northern Syria. The YPG was pivotal in defeating the Islamic State (IS) in 2019, thanks to US support, but Turkey views the group as an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)—a designated terrorist organization by both Ankara and Washington.
Turkey has conducted multiple operations in SDF-controlled areas since 2016, with Ankara-backed groups recently capturing several Kurdish-held towns. The Observatory reported that SDF forces retaliated by destroying Turkish military equipment, including two radars, a jamming system, and a tank.
Political Unrest and New Syrian Leadership
This latest wave of violence coincides with political upheaval in Syria. Rebel groups, led by the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), ousted President Bashar al-Assad from power earlier this month. HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, now Syria’s new ruler, has expressed a willingness to negotiate with Kurdish-led forces under specific conditions.
“Weapons must be in the hands of the state alone,” al-Sharaa said in a Sunday interview. “Whoever is armed and qualified to join the defense ministry, we will welcome them.”
Al-Sharaa’s comments signal a potential shift in Syria’s approach to the SDF, though his ties to Turkey cast doubt on how independent such negotiations might be.
A Region on Edge
The escalating battles highlight northern Syria’s precarious balance of power, where local forces, international actors, and proxy groups collide. With Turkey continuing its aggressive stance and the SDF resisting advances, the potential for broader regional destabilization looms.
Observers will watch closely as new Syrian leadership grapples with entrenched divisions and attempts to chart a course out of years of war. For now, however, peace remains elusive in a land still scarred by conflict.