Intense conflicts erupted between Kurdish forces and Turkey-backed units in northern Syria, resulting in at least 37 fatalities, including five civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The fighting, especially fierce around Manbij, has raised concerns regarding the unity and territorial integrity of Syria, as the leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, calls for a military alliance between the U.S. and France for border protection. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged Turkey’s concerns regarding PKK fighters in Syria.