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Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) forces killed two Syrian soldiers in overnight clashes in the country's northeast, the defense ministry said Thursday, with the SDF members saying they were targeting positions used by the Daesh terrorist group.
The ministry said in a statement carried by SANA state news agency, that clashes took place after the SDF attacked army positions in Raqa province.
Two Syrian Army soldiers were killed, and several others were wounded early Thursday in a “treacherous attack by the SDF on army positions in the Maadan area of the Raqqa countryside,” the ministry added.
The SDF is led by the YPG terrorist group to a large extent.
SDF took control of several locations, "resulting in the death of two army soldiers and the wounding of others," the ministry said.
Soldiers then returned fire and retook the positions, it said, adding Damascus held the SDF responsible for the attack.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP)'s report, the SDF said in a statement its forces were "engaging with several positions that members of the Daesh terrorist organization have used directly to launch drones towards positions where our troops are stationed."
The SDF forces often use the fight against Daesh as an excuse to launch attacks and seek legitimacy in the international community.
"The region has been subjected to a series of attacks this week by factions affiliated with the Damascus government, in parallel with the activity of Daesh members who have actually used those positions to carry out their terrorist attacks," the SDF statement said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor gave a higher toll of six government personnel dead.
In March, the SDF signed an agreement with Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa to integrate SDF militants and civilian institutions into the central government.
However, differences between the two sides have held up the deal's implementation.
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