ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Syrian defense ministry on Tuesday said that two groups affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) attempted to infiltrate bases belonging to the Syrian army in east Aleppo’s Tal Maaz area.

In a statement carried by Syrian state media, the defense ministry’s Media and Communications department said that the infiltration attempt led to “violent clashes” in which one Syrian soldier died.

“The units of the Syrian Arab Army responded, within the rules of engagement, to the sources of fire [and] foiled the infiltration operation,” forcing the SDF-affiliated units to withdraw to their original positions, the statement alleged.

The defense ministry further accused the SDF of targeting sites in which the Syrian army are deployed in Deir Hafer and Manbij, saying that these moves are “blatantly disregarding all understandings and agreements concluded with the Syrian government.”

The ministry called on the Kurdish-led forces to “adhere to the agreements signed with the Syrian state, to stop infiltration, shelling, and provocations targeting army personnel and civilians in Aleppo city and its eastern countryside,” warning that the continuation of these actions will lead to “new consequences.”

The SDF on Monday accused the Syrian army forces of engaging in “provocative movements” in the vicinity of Deir Hafer in a statement, saying that “For several days, groups affiliated with the Damascus Government have been attempting to provoke our forces, engaging in suspicious movements across various areas, particularly in the vicinity of the town of Deir Hafer and its surrounding villages.”

The SDF statement said that the Damascus-affiliated groups are “persistently violating the ceasefire despite our forces’ continued patience and restraint in the face of these ongoing provocations,” warning that “should they persist in targeting our forces, we will be compelled to respond within the framework of legitimate self-defense.”

Two days prior to the Monday statement, the SDF on Saturday said that Turkish-backed forces under the umbrella of the Syrian government “continue to commit repeated violations of the ceasefire in several areas, including Deir Ezzor, Deir Hafer, the Tishreen Dam, and Tal Tamir,” adding that their forces have “exercised restraint and sought to maintain calm” despite the aggressions.

After months of deliberation and negotiations, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF chief Abdi signed an agreement on March 10 to officially integrate the Kurdish-led forces and all other institutions in northeast Syria into the Syrian state institutions.

Representatives of the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (AANES) and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi were set to meet with Syrian government officials in Paris in late July; however, the meeting was abruptly canceled without a reason being given. No official dates have yet been announced for future talks.

A conference on Friday brought together different minorities and components, including Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Assyrians, Turkmens, Armenians, and Circassians, in the city of Hasakah and saw the representatives call for a decentralized state. A Syrian government official slammed the results of the conference a day later, saying the event violated previous agreements and that Damascus will therefore not participate in further talks in Paris.

AFP reported on Tuesday, citing an anonymous Kurdish official in the Kurdish-led northeast administration, that Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani had met on Monday with Elham Ahmad, a senior official in the AANES, “upon the request of the Damascus government.”

"Discussions focused on finding an appropriate formula for decentralization, without specifying a timeframe," the Kurdish official revealed to AFP.

The talks aimed to affirm "the continuation of the negotiating process via intra-Syrian committees under international supervision," the Kurdish official noted, adding that both sides agreed "there was no place for a military option."

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Tuesday that an AANES delegation arrived in Damascus for negotiations with Syrian government officials to prevent further escalation.