Syria accuses Kurds of breaking truce in threat to chances of deal

Syria’s government says a drone strike by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces killed seven of its soldiers on Wednesday, though the SDF denies this, in an incident that threatens to derail a ceasefire after days of fighting in the northeast.

The Syrian army calls the attack, which it says took place as soldiers were securing a captured military base containing explosives, a dangerous escalation.

The SDF, previously the main US ally in Syria, says it did not carry out a strike and that the blast occurred when Syrian soldiers were moving explosives. It accuses the Syrian army of violating the truce with attacks in several locations.

After days of rapid gains, the government on Tuesday said it had reached an understanding with the SDF for it to agree a plan over a four-day ceasefire to integrate into the central state, and that otherwise the SDF would face an assault on the two last main cities it holds.

The government advance against the SDF has put into doubt years of Kurdish de facto autonomy in the northeast. It is significant for Syria’s ties with the United States and Turkey, and for the fate of thousands of detained Islamist militants.