Syrian Army Soldier Killed in SDF Drone Attack; Army Retaliates

A Syrian Arab Army soldier was killed and several others wounded in a drone attack on Saturday. The strike targeted army positions in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood of Aleppo. The Aleppo Media Directorate stated the attack was carried out by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). It said the strike near the Shayhan Roundabout was a "new violation" of existing agreements. The SDF is a Kurdish-led militia alliance that controls large parts of northeastern Syria. It is a key partner of the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State but is viewed as a hostile force by the Syrian government. The Syrian army responded to the drone strikes with artillery fire, according to the statement. The exchange highlights the ongoing, volatile tensions in northern Syria despite periods of calm.