ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said on Friday that Washington will remain in “close contact” with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government, aiming to bring them back to “integration talks” following Aleppo’s January clashes.

Syrian state-affiliated forces in early January launched a military offensive against Kurdish-led internal security forces (Asayish) in Aleppo's Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh, aiming to drive the Asayish out of the neighborhoods. 

The clashes went on for six days and led to hundreds of civilian casualties and the displacement of more than 155,000 residents.

“The United States remains in close contact with all parties in Syria, working around the clock to lower the temperature, prevent escalation, and return to integration talks between the Syrian government and the SDF,” Barrak said on Friday in a post on X. 

At least 38 Damascus-affiliated fighters, one Asayish member, and 43 civilians were killed, and over 115 others injured in nearly a week of fighting, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

On Wednesday, US Senator Lindsey Graham warned against attacking the Kurds in Syria while expressing support for the new government, saying, “I will not tolerate or accept a brazen attack against our Kurdish allies, who are the main force in destroying the ISIS caliphate.” 

“To the Syrian government and Turkey: choose wisely,” he added.

While responding to Graham on Thursday, Elham Ahmed, head of Rojava’s foreign relations, thanked the Senator for supporting the Kurdish-led autonomous administration amid clashes with Damascus, saying, “we deeply appreciate your standing with your allies in the darkest of times.” 

She added that Damascus is “demanding we dismantle our defense structures while simultaneously launching brutal and cruel attacks against Kurdish people.”

Ahmed told The New Region earlier on Tuesday that they "don't know" if a recent attack on Aleppo's Kurdish neighborhoods was greenlit by the US.

The developments threaten a shaky March 10 agreement, signed between the SDF and Damascus, that would see the SDF and Rojava’s institutions integrate into the Syrian state apparatus.

The implementation of the agreement was long stalled by continued clashes between the two sides and disagreements on core governing principles, with the Kurdish authorities demanding a decentralized Syria while Damascus maintained its centralized stance.

The Syrian government has been widely criticized for its continuous crackdown on minority communities, with two major operations against the Alawites and Druze in March and July respectively, leading to the death of thousands of civilians.