Early on May 15, heavy clashes broke out between Turkish-backed militants and Kurdish forces in the northern Aleppo countryside.
According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the clashes took place near the town of Hazwan. The town is located 9 km northwest of the city of al-Bab, the main stronghold of Turkish-backed forces in northern Aleppo.
Opposition sources claimed that the clashes erupted when the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) detected an infiltration attempt by Kurdish forces.
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Nevertheless, the SOHR revealed that the SNA clashed with the al-Bab Military Council, a local armed faction affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The council is not known for carrying out offensive operations.
Such clashes between Turkish and Kurdish forces are common in northern Aleppo. However, they are becoming more frequent and violent.
