Local sources confirmed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that clashes broke out between the Syrian Army and fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Monday night into Tuesday, in the vicinity of the Siryatel hill near the Tishreen Dam, located in the eastern countryside of Aleppo Governorate, northern Syria. The hostilities reportedly lasted until the early hours of Tuesday before subsiding.
The SDF media office, in a statement issued overnight, reported that the Syrian Army had targeted areas around the Tishreen Dam using heavy weaponry and artillery. It specified that the villages of Haj Hussein and Sheikh Mahshi, as well as the Siryatel hill, came under attack. The office described the incident as a “dangerous escalation for which the Damascus government bears full responsibility,” adding that it “poses a threat to regional security, civilian lives, and infrastructure.”
In October last year, the Syrian Ministry of Defence accused the SDF of killing two government soldiers and injuring others in an attack on Syrian Army positions near the Tishreen Dam—an accusation the SDF has denied.
A Protracted Struggle Over the Strategic Tishreen Dam
The Tishreen Dam, located on the Euphrates River, has long been a flashpoint between the two sides. It lies along a tense frontline that periodically witnesses skirmishes, often resulting in casualties among Syrian Army personnel. The area has remained volatile since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime on 8 December 2024, despite repeated efforts to reach a settlement over control of the dam, which remains in the hands of the SDF.
The SDF views the dam as both a vital economic asset and a strategic link between the eastern and western banks of the Euphrates River.
In a separate development, the SDF conducted a raid in the village of Mozan, in the Al-Bukamal countryside of eastern Deir ez-Zor Governorate, within territory it controls. According to a source who spoke to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the operation led to the arrest of 10 villagers. The source noted that the arrests followed the closure of the village school after a dispute between residents, which escalated when the guardian of a student assaulted a teacher.
Security Meeting Follows Palmyra Attack
Meanwhile, Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab chaired an expanded security meeting on Tuesday, attended by Brigadier Sufian Mohammed Al-Sheikh Saleh, Commander of Desert Security, along with other senior officials. The session was convened to assess the security situation in the region following the Palmyra attack, which resulted in the deaths of two U.S. soldiers and an interpreter, as well as injuries to two members of Syria’s Internal Security forces.
The Interior Ministry, via its official channels, said the meeting reviewed findings from the investigation team assigned to follow the case and examined recommendations to bolster the efficiency of security units. Khattab emphasised the need for full coordination among security bodies and called for heightened field readiness to ensure rapid response capabilities in confronting ISIS threats and maintaining regional stability.
Last Sunday, the Syrian Interior Ministry announced the arrest of five suspects linked to the attack on the joint U.S.-Syrian patrol that occurred on Saturday near Palmyra. U.S. President Donald Trump responded with a strong warning, stating that “great harm will come to those who attacked U.S. forces in Syria,” in a renewed threat to those behind the deadly assault.
In a related development, Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddine al-Baba posted on platform X on Tuesday that a group responsible for an earlier attack on a Road and Customs Security patrol had been targeted. He indicated that details of the operation would be disclosed in due course. This statement appears to reference an ambush near the city of Maarat al-Numan in southern Idlib Governorate.
On Sunday, the Interior Ministry had confirmed that four personnel from the Road Security Administration were killed and another injured after an attack on one of its patrols along the road leading to Maarat al-Numan, in northwestern Syria. Security forces have since been pursuing those responsible.
ISIS also claimed responsibility for an earlier attack on a Customs Police patrol belonging to the General Authority for Borders and Customs. The incident occurred on the evening of 3 December, and was confirmed by the group through its social media channels.
According to ISIS, the attack led to the deaths of two personnel from a Syrian government patrol near the town of Al-Zarba in Aleppo Governorate, on the Aleppo–Damascus highway. Two others were reportedly wounded.
Local sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that one of the victims, Issa Raad, was buried on Thursday afternoon in the city of Al-Qusayr, in Homs Governorate, central Syria.
Meanwhile, Mazen Alloush, Director of Relations at the General Authority for Borders and Customs, stated on platform X that the ambushed patrol had been escorting a truck when it came under attack. Armed individuals launched the assault from a vehicle in the Al-Zarba area, southern Aleppo countryside. Alloush wrote: “The attack led to the martyrdom of two Customs Police personnel and injuries to two others with varying degrees of severity.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
