SDF targets civilians in northern Syria, violating ceasefire agreement with government

By Abdulsalam Fayez

ISTANBUL (AA)—The terrorist organization YPG/SDF violated a ceasefire agreement with the Syrian government on Saturday by targeting civilians attempting to flee besieged areas in northern Aleppo province.

Alikhbariah TV said SDF fighters opened fire on civilians as they tried to leave the villages of al-Qubba and al-Jaada, which have been under siege for several days by the group, heading toward the Qara Qozak bridge south of Ain al-Arab (Kobani) in the eastern Aleppo countryside.

The reports did not specify the nature of the attack or whether there were casualties.

On Friday, Damascus announced a comprehensive ceasefire and phased agreement between the government and the SDF.

Under the agreement, the two sides committed to an immediate ceasefire and a phased process to integrate military and administrative structures.

The deal also provides for the withdrawal of forces from contact lines and the deployment of Interior Ministry security forces to the city centers of Hasakah and Qamishli in northeastern Syria as part of broader efforts to restore stability.

The agreement further aims to unify Syrian territory, enforce state authority, and advance full institutional integration through coordination and joint efforts to rebuild the country.

On Jan. 18, the Syrian government and the SDF signed an earlier ceasefire and integration deal, but Damascus has since accused the group of repeated and “serious” violations.

The latest agreement followed a military operation by the Syrian Army that reclaimed large areas in eastern and northeastern Syria after repeated breaches by the SDF of previous understandings.

* Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul