US ambassador urges Syrian government, Kurds to “return to negotiations” after clashes in Aleppo

The US ambassador to Syria is urging the Syrian government and Kurdish authorities to “return to dialogue” following days of deadly clashes in Aleppo.

Tom Barrack said on Saturday he met with the President of Syria Ahmed al-Sharaa “discussing the latest developments in Aleppo and the broader path forward for Syria’s historic transition.”

“President Trump sees this moment as an important opportunity for a new Syria – a united nation where all communities, including Arabs, Kurds, Druze, Christians, Alawites, Turkmen, Assyrians, and others, are treated with respect and dignity and given meaningful participation in governance and defense,” Barrack wrote in X. head on.”

Clashes broke out on Tuesday in the northern Kurdish areas, especially Sheikh Maqsoud, Achrafieh and Bani Zaid, after the government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish-led force in the country, failed to make progress on how to integrate their forces into the national army. Security forces have since captured Achrafieh and Bani Zaid.

In five days of clashes between Syrian and Kurdish forces, at least 22 people have been killed and dozens injured.

On Saturday, the Syrian news agency SANA reported that two Kurdish fighters blew themselves up while surrounded by soldiers without causing any injuries.

On Saturday afternoon, an explosive device hit the Aleppo Governorate building shortly after two Cabinet ministers and a local official held a press conference on developments in the city, state TV said. There was no immediate word on injuries.

Syria’s state television channel broadcast the footage, which allegedly showed a drone attack on a building, and blamed Kurdish forces for the attack. The main Kurdish-led army in the country denied the reports, saying that its soldiers did not attack the people they were targeting.

Since morning, Syrian security forces have been sweeping the area after asking residents to stay at home for their own safety.

Hundreds of people who fled the neighborhood in the past days were waiting at the Sheikh Maqsoud gate to be allowed to enter once the military operation was over.

The war also displaced more than 140,000 people.

The Syrian army began planting crops on Saturday in the northern part of the city.

Syria’s Information Minister, Hamza al-Mustafa, told state TV that Kurdish forces were using civilian buildings, including hospitals and clinics, during the fighting. Each side has accused the other of starting the violence and deliberately targeting civilian areas and infrastructure, including ambulance and hospital workers.

The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria led by the Democratic Autonomous Administration, which controls a large part of Northeastern Syria, said that the security forces targeted Khaled Fajr Hospital in Sheikh Maqsoud, putting the lives of patients and paramedics at risk. It called on international countries to intervene to force government forces to stop bombing.

State TV reported that at least one member of the security forces was injured when a plane fired by the SDF crashed into the area.

Associated Press reporters said gunfire could be heard as government-sponsored drones flew over Sheikh Maqsoud.

The Syrian army declared the area a “closed military zone” as of Friday night as it launched a “clearance campaign.”

Barrack urged all parties to “restrain themselves, stop fighting immediately and return to negotiations.”

“The violence threatens the progress achieved since the fall of the Assad regime and invites foreign interference that does not serve the interests of the parties,” he said.

In Jordan, state media reported that Barrack also discussed events in Syria with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. Jordan has offered support to efforts aimed at consolidating a ceasefire and the peaceful withdrawal of Kurdish forces from Aleppo, media reported.

This also comes to the US on Saturday they made big strikes against many Islamic State targets across Syria. The strikes were targeted at at least 35 locations.