DAMASCUS (Dispatches) -- The Kurdish-led SDF militants, backed by the United States, reported clashes on Monday with the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) regime, headed by Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, in Aleppo province, underscoring rising tensions despite a landmark integration deal signed in March. 
The SDF controls roughly a quarter of the country’s territory with U.S. support aimed at carving out an Israeli-backed autonomous quarter, effectively fragmenting Syria.
In March, the SDF agreed to join the HTS regime’s state institutions after the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad, in what was portrayed as a step toward healing Syria’s 14 years of devastating war. However, persistent violence and mutual accusations reveal deep fractures beneath the surface.
On Monday, the SDF accused the HTS regime’s forces of attacking four SDF posts in Dayr Hafir, Aleppo province, warning that it would respond “with full force and determination.” 
The HTS regime and SDF also exchanged blame over a recent rocket attack in Manbij, with the HTS regime accusing the SDF of aggression, while the SDF said it was retaliating against unprovoked shelling targeting civilians.
The presence of HTS, an Al-Qaeda-linked extremist faction under Jolani, has fueled ongoing violence, insecurity, and ethnic massacres in northern Syria. The regime’s control is marked by brutal repression and continuing clashes that imperil any lasting peace or unity.
U.S. support for the SDF has facilitated the establishment of a semi-autonomous Kurdish-led zone aligned with Israeli strategic interests, further fragmenting Syrian sovereignty. 
Meanwhile, the HTS regime continues to battle both Kurdish forces and other rivals, perpetuating instability and ethnic violence across the region.