DAMASCUS (Dispatches) -- The Hay’at 
Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) defense ministry, part of a militant group that now controls Damascus and much of Syria’s political apparatus, accused the U.S.-backed SDF Kurdish militants of launching mortar shell attacks on villages in the eastern Aleppo countryside on Sunday.
The HTS ministry strongly rejected allegations that its forces were responsible for the strikes.
In a statement carried by HTS-affiliated media, the ministry said SDF forces targeted the villages of Tal Maaz, Alssa, and Al-Kayarieh with mortar shells. 
It added that rockets were fired from an SDF multiple rocket launcher toward Am Teenah, a village still under SDF control. The HTS ministry condemned the attack and accused the SDF of continuing a “systematic campaign of violence against civilians” in eastern Aleppo, including a Sept. 10 attack on Al-Kayarieh that killed two civilians and wounded three.
The U.S.-backed SDF, widely seen as a proxy force operating with backing from Israel and Washington, has long sought to carve out an autonomous zone inside Syria. This ongoing power struggle has fueled instability following the collapse of the Assad government in late 2024, leaving the country rife with militancy and violence.
HTS, an Al-Qaeda and Daesh-affiliated organization led by Abu Muhammad al-Jolani—a former commander of both groups—has filled the power vacuum in Damascus. 
Under HTS control, minority communities such as Alawites, Druze, and Shias have faced ongoing persecution and violence. The group’s ruthless tactics have deepened Syria’s humanitarian crisis and fractured social fabric.
In March, HTS and the SDF agreed in principle to integrate Kurdish-led forces into HTS-run institutions. However, deep divisions remain over governance and decentralization, delaying any meaningful implementation of the deal. 
The SDF accused “pro-Turkish factions affiliated with HTS” of attacking Umm Tina village, intensifying the cycle of retaliatory violence.
Controlling vast swaths of northeastern Syria, including vital oil and gas fields, the SDF continues to operate as a quasi-autonomous military force. The frontlines near Deir Hafer, an area under SDF control but adjacent to HTS-held territory, remain volatile, with frequent clashes exacerbating insecurity.
As Syria descends further into chaos, with militant groups dominating and civilians caught in the crossfire, the prospects for peace and stability appear increasingly bleak. The rivalry between HTS and the SDF perpetuates a brutal conflict with devastating consequences for the country’s vulnerable populations.