Syrian Drone Strike Denial Threatens Ceasefire, Sparks Kurdish Protests

A Syrian government accusation of a deadly drone strike threatens a fragile ceasefire. The claim has also sparked street protests in neighboring Iraq. On Wednesday, Syria said a strike by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) killed seven of its soldiers. The SDF denied carrying out the attack. The incident risks restarting major fighting in northeast Syria. Days of clashes had only just stopped under a ceasefire deal. Meanwhile, in the city of Erbil in Iraq's Kurdistan region, people marched in protest. They demonstrated in solidarity with Syrian Kurds. Syrian government forces are now taking control of areas in northeast Syria. This ends years of de facto Kurdish self-rule there, managed by the SDF.