📰 SDF says Damascus-affiliated factions shell villages near Tishrin Dam

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian Democratic troops (SDF) stated on Tuesday that factions affiliated with the Syrian transitional administration shelled villages near the strategic Tishrin Dam in northern Syria, warning of a dangerous escalation that threatens civilians and vital infrastructure. In a statement, the SDF stated artillery and heavy weapons were used to target the villages of Haj Hussein and Sheikh Mahshi, as well as Syriatel Hill in the vicinity of the dam.   The SDF held the Damascus administration fully responsible for the escalation and its consequences. The SDF said the shelling poses a direct threat to the security of the area, endangers civilian lives, and risks damage to key infrastructure, particularly the Tishrin Dam, which is vital for electricity generation and water regulation in the region. No immediate reports of casualties or damage were available, and there was no comment from the Damascus government at the time of publication.

Tishrin Dam, east of Aleppo, is one of northern Syria’s most crucial hydroelectric and water management facilities. In latest months, armed factions affiliated with Syria’s transitional government have carried out repeated attacks on SDF positions around the dam, including artillery shelling and armed clashes. In parallel with the “Deterrence of Aggression” operation on Nov. 27, 2024, which culminated in the fall of the Assad regime on Dec.

8, Turkish-backed armed factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), commenced attacking areas previously controlled by the SDF in the northern countryside of Aleppo, northwestern Syria. The operation initiated in villages and towns in northern Aleppo and extended to the city of Manbij in eastern Aleppo. The fighting eventually reached the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River in mid-December 2024, amid repeated attempts by Turkish-backed SNA factions to seize control of the dam and cross to the eastern bank of the Euphrates. In April a U.

S. -mediated agreement involving Washington, Ankara, Damascus, and the SDF has led to a de-escalation around the strategic dam. Furthermore, the SDF has warned that persisted hostilities near the dam risk destabilizing the area and causing severe relief and environmental consequences. By Jwan Shekaki