Clashes erupt between Syrian army, U.S.-backed Kurdish militants in northern province

DAMASCUS, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Clashes between the soldiers loyal to Syria's interim authority and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) erupted after midnight and continued into Thursday in northern Syria's Raqqa province, leaving casualties on both sides, officials and monitoring groups said.

Syria's defense authorities said SDF fighters attacked army positions in the city of Maadan in Raqqa province, using heavy fire from multiple weapons and seized several sites.

Two soldiers were killed and others wounded, the authorities said. Syrian troops later counterattacked, retaking the positions and driving out the attackers. The authorities blamed the SDF for what they called repeated "treacherous aggression" against army positions.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said SDF forces captured three points in the Ghanem al-Ali desert in Raqqa during overnight clashes. Both sides reportedly used heavy weapons and drones. The monitor added that SDF forces shot down a drone belonging to the Syrian defense authorities following an attack on an SDF security post in Ghanem al-Ali.

The SDF accused Islamic State (IS) militants of using positions held by the authorities to attack its forces and said it had audio and video evidence of IS operations.

Relations between the SDF, which controls large areas of northeastern Syria with U.S. support, and the Syrian interim authority have fluctuated since the political transition in late 2024. Enditem