Fresh clashes between factions in Syria: US could lose ‘valuable allies in fight against IS group’ Fresh clashes have broken out between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and local Arab clans in eastern Syria, leaving at least 25 people dead. FRANCE 24’s terrorism expert Wassim Nasr explains how the fighting is linked to recent clashes – also in northern Aleppo – and why it is considered such a high-stakes game. “The US will be losing very valuable allies in the fight against the Islamic State group," he says.