Clashes broke out Aug. 12 between Syrian regime forces and militia of the Kurdish-led Rojava autonomous administration near the Euphrates River in eastern Deir ez-Zor governorate. The clashes centered around the towns of Shuheil and Bukrus, southeast of Deir ez-Zor city. The fighting began after regime forces west of the Euphrates launched surface-to-surface attacks on Kurdish-held towns across the river. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the principal Kurdish-led military formation, said in a statement that an operation against regime positions was carried out "in retaliation for the blood of the martyrs" killed "by artillery shelling from the Syrian regime and National Defense Force mercenaries." The NDF is a pro-regime militia. The violence has displaced dozens of families along the conflict line. (ANF, AA, AP)

The violence erupted three days after US troops were targeted in a drone attack on a position they share with the SDF at Rumalyn Landing Zone in al-Hasakah governorate (also known as al-Jazira and Cizire). The current fighting is close to al-Omar oil field, which is protected by a joint force of SDF fighters and US troops. The oil field at al-Omar was seized by Islamist rebels in 2013 and subsequently came under the control of ISIS. It was then taken by a joint US-SDF force in 2015.

The Rojava Kurds have for years maintained an uneasy alliance with the Assad regime, while also maintaining an alliance with US forces operating in northeast Syria.