SDF says it thwarted infiltration attempt amid escalation in Aleppo countryside
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said late Wednesday that Damascus-affiliated factions continued a military escalation in eastern Aleppo countryside, adding that its forces thwarted an infiltration attempt near Dayr Hafir.
In a statement published on its official platforms, the SDF said that since early Wednesday morning, the areas of Dayr Hafir, Maskanah, and the vicinity of Tishreen Dam have witnessed “continuous military escalation,” describing the developments as part of an intensified campaign carried out by factions affiliated with the Syrian government, alongside increased Turkish drone activity.
The SDF said government factions launched repeated attacks during the early hours on the surroundings of Tishreen Dam, using drones, artillery, and mortar shells. According to the statement, more than 12 strikes were recorded, also hitting the villages of al-Mahshiya, Sheikh Hassan, and Qashla villages, with shelling still ongoing near the dam at the time of the statement.
The force added that the attacks extended to civilian infrastructure in Dayr Hafir town, where the local post office building was shelled by artillery and so-called suicide drones, without casualties. A civilian bakery in the town was also targeted by a drone strike, causing it to go out of service and posing what the SDF described as “a direct threat to food security for residents.”
The SDF said its units repelled an attempted infiltration by government forces on the axis of Zubaida village, in the southern countryside of Dayr Hafir, forcing the attacking group to retreat.
It also reported intensive flights of Turkish Bayraktar drones over the area, adding that a Turkish drone targeted one of its military positions in Maskanah without causing injuries. Another position was struck in the village of al-Buassi in the countryside of al-Tabqa, as well as in Maskanah city, according to the statement.
In its closing remarks, the SDF held Syrian government forces “fully responsible for the escalation and its humanitarian and security consequences in the region.”
Dayr Hafir and Maskanah lie along sensitive frontlines in eastern Aleppo countryside, an area that has seen repeated confrontations in recent years. The region is also close to key infrastructure sites, including Tishreen Dam, which supplies electricity and water to large parts of northern Syria.
No official comment was issued by the Syrian government or Turkish authorities regarding the SDF statement by the time of publication.