Ilham Ehmed, Co-Chair of the Foreign Relations Department of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), posted a message on her X account about the attack in Makana.
Ilham Ahmed stated that militias affiliated with the Damascus Interim Government had violated the agreement, adding: “Yesterday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed to withdraw their forces from the area including the towns of Deir Hafer and Maskana west of the Euphrates River. However, forces affiliated with the Damascus administration have clearly violated this agreement. Violent clashes are taking place between the two sides in Maskana. We hold Damascus entirely responsible for these violations and all provocations against the SDF.”
Background
According to an announcement made by Mazloum Abdi, Commander-in-Chief of the SDF, last night, the SDF decided to withdraw their forces at 7:00 a.m. this morning from the current contact lines east of Aleppo, which have been under attack for the past two days, and redeploy them to areas east of the Euphrates. The decision was made “following calls from friendly nations and mediators, and in our show of good faith in completing the integration process and adhering to the terms of the March 10th agreement.”
In a statement earlier today, the SDF said: “Based on the internationally sponsored agreement, it was agreed that the Damascus government forces would enter the towns of Deir Hafer and Maskana, east of Aleppo, after our forces completed their withdrawal. However, Damascus violated the terms of the agreement and entered the towns before our fighters had fully withdrawn, creating a highly dangerous situation with potentially serious repercussions.”
SDF stressed that a cessation of hostilities requires an end to these violations and full compliance with the agreement by Damascus, until the complete withdrawal of their fighters from the cities of Maskana and Deir Hafer, as agreed upon.
In the meantime, clashes erupted in Dibsi Afnan area, west of Raqqa, following an attack by Damascus government factions on SDF positions in clear violation of the internationally brokered agreement.
The SDF pointed out that the agreement stipulated a ceasefire and a 48-hour deadline for their forces to withdraw from the towns of Deir Hafer and Maskana: “However, the Damascus government deployed military convoys, heavy weapons, and tanks to the area before the withdrawal was complete and attacked our fighters, resulting in the martyrdom of several of them.”