ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Syrian state media on Monday reported that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had targeted a security checkpoint in Aleppo's Kurdish-majority Ashrafiyeh neighborhood, injuring two civil defense personnel, with the Kurdish-led force denying the claim, blaming Damascus-affiliated forces instead.

Syria's state-owned SANA news agency reported Monday evening that "the SDF is targeting points of the internal security forces near the Sheihan and Leramoun roundabouts from their positions in the Ashrafiyah neighborhood," saying that two personnel belonging to Syria’s civil defense were injured during the clashes.  

Shortly after Syria's claims, the SDF in a statement rebuffed the reports, saying that the attack had been carried out by "Damascus-affiliated forces," and that two SDF-affiliated internal security (Asayish) members had been injured.

"This attack is a clear continuation of the unchecked escalation that threatens the city's security and the lives of civilians, and reveals the Damascus government's inability to control its affiliated factions," the SDF said. "We hold the Damascus government fully responsible for these attacks."

Aleppo's Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods have been subject to several clashes between the two forces, who have repeatedly blamed each other for inciting the altercations. The confrontations build on political tensions between Damascus and SDF over failures to complete an integration agreement that was signed on March 10 between the two sides' leaderships.

The SDF later on Monday accused “Damascus government factions” of launching a “violent attack” in the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Aleppo. 

“The people and the internal security forces are facing the attack and are taking all measures to protect themselves,” an SDF statement said. 

Earlier on Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Ahmed al-Shaibani held the SDF accountable for delays in implementing the agreement, warning that failure to complete the agreement will "negatively affect the region as a whole."

Despite coming to an "immediate ceasefire" agreement in early October when high-level delegations from both sides, clashes have continued between the two forces.

The US-backed SDF functions as the de facto army of northeast Syria and played a key role in the territorial defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria in 2019.