ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Syrian defense ministry on Tuesday reported that the army and allied tribal forces thwarted an early morning attack by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-linked Deir ez-Zor Military Council in northeastern Syria.

The attack began around 4:00 am and sparked intense clashes in several villages in the northern and eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, with mortar fire reportedly hitting areas under government control.

Syrian army units responded with artillery strikes, targeting positions held by the attacking forces along the riverbank.

The regime’s defense ministry reported that army units and allied forces had “repelled” the attack.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Deir ez-Zor Military Council justified its presence in the area, citing security risks posed by recent unrest in western Syria and the desert (al-Badiya) region.

The council warned of an imminent threat from ISIS cells, which it claimed are poised to exploit the chaos to gain territorial control in unprotected areas of northern and eastern Deir ez-Zor.

“Our forces have become responsible for safeguarding the populations of the villages of Salhiya, Tabia, Hatla, Khesham, Marrat, Mazloum, and Husseiniya in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor,” the council's statement read. "The deployment of our forces to these villages is in response to the urgent pleas and appeals of the local populace, following the increasing potential risks that ISIS will exploit the events in the west of the country."

Local media claimed that the attack by the Kurdish-led forces followed a meeting with the US-led coalition. Some reports suggested that a number of SDF leaders opposed the operation.

The attack coincided with separate developments in northern Syria. Ankara-backed factions of the Syrian National Army announced they had taken control of the town of Tal Rifaat in the northern Aleppo countryside, previously held by the SDF.

In northern Aleppo, US forces reportedly advised the SDF against engaging in battles with Turkish-backed forces or using coalition-supplied weapons in conflicts with Turkey or its allies. An agreement brokered by US and Turkish officials has reportedly resulted in Kurdish forces withdrawing from Aleppo and its northern countryside to areas east of the Euphrates River.