ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - President Masoud Barzani on Friday held a phone call with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to discuss the clashes between Kurdish-led and Syrian state forces in Aleppo, with the pair affirming that Kurds and all other Syrian components must be guaranteed their rights.

Clashes between Damascus-affiliated and Kurdish-led security forces (Asayish) have wracked Aleppo’s Kurdish-majority Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods in recent days, with tens of people having been killed so far. 

A brief ceasefire was broken on Friday as Damascus-affiliated forces sought to force Kurdish fighters out of the city and transport them to northeast Syria (Rojava), with the local councils of the aforementioned neighborhoods rejecting any notion of a prospective "surrender" and asserting, "We have decided to remain in our districts and defend them."

Sharaa and Barzani in the Friday phonecall discussed “the latest political developments in Syria and changes in the region,” emphasizing the “importance of stability and joint coordination,” Barzani Headquarters announced.

According to the statement, "President Sharaa... reaffirmed that Kurds are an authentic and fundamental component of the Syrian people and stressed the commitment of the entire Syrian state to guaranteeing all national, political, and civil rights of Kurds along with other Syrian components in an equal manner without discrimination."

"President Barzani expressed his appreciation for President Sharaa's perspective and announced his support for the wishes and aspirations of Syrians to build a state that includes and involves all sides and components," the statement said.

The Kurdish leader also "emphasized the need for continued consultation and coordination in order to consider the interests of all sides and preserve social peace."

A source told The New Region on Friday that a general mobilization has taken place in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood to resist the entry of state forces, with reinforcements making their way from territories controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to assist their compatriots.

The same source reported that the streets of Aleppo have fallen quiet amid fears of further escalation.

Tensions are inextricably linked to the lack of implementation of a March 10 agreement between SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi and Sharaa. The agreement would see the Kurdish-led forces and institutions in Rojava brought under the auspices of the Syrian state, but its implementation has stalled over the past year due to sporadic clashes between the two sides.