Violence, airstrikes sweep Syria, Lebanon

US targets ISIS as Aleppo sees deadly clashes

WASHINGTON:

The Middle East remained on edge over the weekend as the United States launched military strikes across Syria targeting the Islamic State group, Syria's government consolidated control over Aleppo's Kurdish neighbourhoods following days of deadly clashes, and Israeli air raids killed one in southern Lebanon amid ongoing tensions with Hezbollah.

The US military said that its strikes, carried out in the early afternoon Eastern Time, targeted Islamic State militants throughout Syria. US Central Command did not disclose whether the operations resulted in casualties.

Meanwhile, in Aleppo, Syrian government forces completed their takeover of the city's Kurdish districts, evacuating fighters to north-eastern Kurdish-controlled areas after negotiations on integrating local autonomous administrations into Damascus's authority broke down.

Residents returning to the Ashrafiyeh neighbourhood reported extensive damage, including shrapnel, looted homes, and broken windows, while Sheikh Maqsud remained off limits under strict security control.

Syrian authorities reported 24 dead and 129 wounded since last Tuesday, though the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the toll at 105, including civilians and fighters from both sides.

Kurdish leader Mazlum Abdi said the evacuation of combatants was mediated by international parties to halt attacks against civilians, but he called for mediators to ensure promises to stop violations were honoured.

The region's instability extended to Lebanon, where Israeli air strikes on Sunday targeted Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure in southern towns, killing one civilian in Bent Jbeil according to the Lebanese health ministry.