US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack met on Saturday with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus to discuss ongoing clashes between Kurdish fighters and the Syrian Arab Army in the northern city of Aleppo, according to a statement released by Barrack.

Barrack said the meeting was held on behalf of US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and focused on “developments in Aleppo and the broader path forward for Syria’s historic transition.”

Fighting broke out on Tuesday in the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Masqsood and Ashrafiyeh, involving Kurdish security forces known as Asayish and units of the Syrian Arab Army. Both sides have accused each other of triggering the violence. Despite mediation efforts by regional and Western actors, clashes have continued, interrupted only by a brief ceasefire intended to allow negotiations.

On Saturday, the Syrian Arab Army announced it had concluded its operation after taking control of both neighborhoods. However, Asayish rejected the claim, saying fighting was still ongoing in Sheikh Masqsood.

In his statement, Barrack emphasized Washington’s vision for Syria’s future, saying President Trump views the current period as “a pivotal opportunity for a new Syria — a unified nation in which all communities, including Arab, Kurdish, Druze, Christian, Alawite, Turkmen, Assyrian, and others, are treated with respect and dignity and afforded meaningful participation in governance and security institutions.”

Barrack also referred to an integration agreement signed in March between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the new Syrian government. The deal aims to incorporate SDF forces into national institutions while preserving Kurdish rights and reinforcing Syria’s unity and sovereignty. However, Barrack warned that the situation in Aleppo “appears to challenge the terms of this agreement.”

“We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint and immediately cease hostilities,” he said.

He added that Secretary Rubio’s team is prepared to facilitate dialogue between Damascus and the SDF to support an inclusive integration process based on a single sovereign state and “one legitimate national military.”

The SDF has controlled Kurdish-majority areas in northeast Syria since the early years of the conflict that began in 2011. Under a separate agreement with Damascus signed on April 1, the SDF withdrew from Sheikh Masqsood and Ashrafiyeh, handing control to Asayish. The deal, limited to the two neighborhoods, also included a large-scale prisoner exchange.