Clashes in Aleppo, Israeli Incursions in Quneitra Mark Rising Tensions in Syria
Clashes in Aleppo, Israeli Incursions in Quneitra Mark Rising Tensions in Syria
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At least seven people have been killed in renewed clashes between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Aleppo, local and international media report, with both sides trading blame over the violence.
The fighting erupted on January 6, 2026, after drone and artillery exchanges centred on the predominantly Kurdish neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah in northern Aleppo. Syrian state media said an army position was struck by SDF attacks, killing one soldier and several civilians, while SDF statements denied responsibility for civilian deaths and accused government forces of shelling residential areas.
The clashes reflect deepening instability at a critical moment in talks over integrating the SDF into Syria’s national army, a long-planned but stalled merger agreement initially reached in March 2025. A recent delegation from the SDF held talks with Syrian government officials in Damascus with no significant progress, highlighting continuing mistrust and disagreement over implementation.
Meanwhile in southern Syria, Israeli forces carried out multiple incursions into the Quneitra countryside, including into Saida al-Golan and nearby villages. Local reports say Israeli troops established temporary checkpoints and searched homes near the disengagement line separating Syrian territory from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, actions condemned by Syrian media as violations of sovereignty.
