Syrian army orders Aleppo evacuations amid fighting with Kurdish forces

Aleppo Residents Scramble as Fighting Between Syrian Government and Kurdish Forces Intensifies

A fresh wave of violence has engulfed Aleppo, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, after the Syrian army ordered civilians to evacuate neighbourhoods amidst fighting with Kurdish forces. The clashes are the most intense since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, raising concerns of a broader conflict between the government and the well-armed Kurdish authorities controlling much of north-east Syria.

The Syrian government urged residents to leave the three contested neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and Bani Zeid by early afternoon, opening humanitarian corridors and displacement shelters. However, shelling resumed shortly after the deadline expired at 1:30 pm local time (1030 GMT), with both sides trading blows.

The SDF denies having any fighters in the neighbourhoods, describing them as local self-defense forces. The Syrian government claims that the SDF used civilians as human shields, not allowing evacuation and shooting at them when they tried.

Displacement mounts

Approximately 140,000 civilians have been displaced since fighting broke out on Tuesday, with at least eight killed in Kurdish-majority neighbourhoods, and seven civilians and one soldier killed in government-controlled areas. Dozens of people are wounded on both sides.

Supporters of the SDF rallied in solidarity outside Qamishli, the de facto capital of the SDF-controlled regions in north-east Syria. A meeting between Damascus and the SDF earlier this week failed to yield any new progress on implementing the agreement, despite the deadline expiring.

US envoy seeks calm

A US state department official urged restraint from all sides, calling for a peaceful, stable Syria that serves the interests of all Syrians. The US has tried to maintain a balancing act between its longtime Kurdish allies and the new authorities in Damascus, with whom it has grown closer.

Turkey's position on SDF further complicates the situation. Hakan Fidan, Turkey's foreign minister, described the SDF as "the biggest obstacle to peace in Syria," while the Turkish defense ministry said it would provide military aid to the government in Damascus if requested.

Escalating conflict

The clashes in Aleppo represent the longest open conflict between the Syrian government and the SDF since an agreement was signed in March 2025. The SDF views US support and its continued military presence as a safeguard against Turkey, which has launched three invasions against it.

Disagreements over SDF status have stalled progress on integrating the group into the new Syrian army. The SDF seeks autonomy under the government, while some factions within the Syrian army have been fighting the SDF for years, exacerbating tensions between them.

A broader conflict looms

The situation in Aleppo is a microcosm of the larger conflict in Syria, with deep-seated disagreements over Kurdish status and control of territory. The US, Turkey, and Russia are all key players in the complex dynamics at play, each pursuing their own interests in the Syrian civil war.

this is getting outta hand fam Aleppo is literally burning 140k ppl displaced already and it's not even a week since fighting started I'm lowkey worried about the SDF situation cuz Turkey's got a lot to say about it but at the same time, the US is still backing them up what's gonna happen next?! The whole world's watching this unfold and honestly, it's getting super intense

omg u no like syria is literally imploding rn lol i was just talking to my friend who has a cousin married to a sdf member and apparently they have been living in aleppo for years but now its all falling apart theyre saying the kurdish forces r using civilians as human shields which sounds super sus idk what thats even possible lol

anyway i was looking at this map of syria and i realized how messed up it is like literally who controls what territory rn its all so complicated with turkey and the us and russia getting involved too and now Aleppo is in the middle of this whole thing which makes total sense considering its one of the last major rebel strongholds

and u heard about the displacement shelter theyre saying 140k civilians have been displaced since fighting started i feel bad for those ppl lol my heart goes out to them

It's like they say - can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. Syrian government & Kurdish forces goin' at it again. Aleppo's gettin' a right mess, with 140k civilians displaced already. Can't blame the US for tryin' to keep the peace, but Turkey's just addin' fuel to the fire . The SDF's got some valid points too - autonomy ain't too much to ask, especially after all they've been through. Maybe if everyone could just calm down and have a decent chat about it, we might get somewhere . This conflict's gonna keep draggin' on till someone gets hurt bad

omg, this fighting in Aleppo is getting intense ... can't believe it's been going on since Dec 2024 and still no end in sight . 140k people displaced already?!? That's crazy! The US trying to calm things down with their envoy but it seems like everyone's got an opinion - Turkey saying the SDF is a major obstacle to peace, while the US is still backing them... meanwhile the Syrian government just wants to take control of those neighbourhoods . This conflict is so complicated, I don't know how anyone can navigate it without losing their mind ... and what's up with all these human shields being thrown around? Just a bunch of civilians getting caught in the crossfire

This is getting super scary for people living in Aleppo. I mean, 140k civilians displaced already & it's still not over. The fact that both sides are trading blows makes me so worried about innocent lives lost. Can't we just have peace?! It feels like the whole situation is a big mess with Turkey, US, Russia, and Syria all jostling for power... does anyone know what they're even fighting for anymore?

I don’t usually comment but... I'm really worried about what's happening in Aleppo right now . It feels like we're watching a nightmare unfold on live TV. The fighting is getting more intense by the minute and it's heartbreaking to see civilians caught in the middle. I wish there was a way for everyone involved to talk things out peacefully, but at this point, it just seems like each side is dug in.

I don’t know what the US, Turkey, or Russia are trying to achieve, but it can't be good if people are getting killed left and right . And what about the SDF? They're trying to protect themselves, I guess, but it's hard to blame them when they feel like their very existence is under threat .

Can we please just get some peacekeepers in there ASAP? Like, a team of diplomats or mediators or something who can help facilitate talks and get everyone on the same page? It's not too late for Syria, I'm sure of it . We need to stay vigilant and hope that someone with the power to make things happen will step up soon

this latest fighting in aleppo is just devastating , 140k civilians displaced already? its like they're running out of time to find safety anywhere...

i wish us, uk and other countries could do more to help them find a peaceful solution instead of just talking about it and lets be real turkey's position on sdf makes things way worse

omg what's going on in syria?! it seems like its super bloody rn why did they have to make everyone leave their homes again? cant they just talk it out or smthn? i saw that video of aleppo last year and it looked so sad do u think the us can really help mediate this situation? turkey's got some pretty strong opinions on the matter... what's the deal with that?

I'm seriously worried about this situation unfolding in Aleppo . It's like they're playing a game of cat and mouse, with civilians getting caught in the middle. I don't get why they can't just talk it out instead of resorting to violence. The US is trying to stay neutral but it's hard when you've got Turkey and Russia on one side and the SDF on another. It's like a big puzzle that nobody can solve. And what about the civilians who are already displaced? Where are they supposed to go?

This situation in Aleppo is super worrying, you know? It feels like we're seeing a whole lot of escalation between the Syrian government and Kurdish forces. The 140k displaced people just shows how dire things are on the ground. And with Turkey's involvement, it's getting really complicated. I think what worries me most is that all these external actors (US, Russia, Turkey) have their own interests at play... it makes it super hard to see a clear resolution. The Kurdish side saying they're fighting for autonomy feels legit, but at the same time, the Turkish stance on SDF being an 'obstacle' raises some red flags

just saw this and it's getting super intense Aleppo is like a powder keg, you never know what's gonna set it off next. Kurdish forces saying they're fighting for local self-defense, but gov't claims they're using civilians as shields... meanwhile, 140k people have been displaced since the fight started . US trying to keep everyone calm, but Turkey is straight up saying the SDF is an obstacle to peace . This conflict has Syria in a chokehold and it's gonna take a miracle to get out of this mess . We need to be keeping an eye on this situation and advocating for a peaceful resolution ASAP

this is getting crazy aleppo is like a ticking time bomb rn. both sides are digging in for what feels like an eternity. i mean, 140k displaced since tuesday? that's insane. can't we just have some peace around here? and honestly, what's with all the shelling? it feels like they're trying to one-up each other or something. i'm so tired of hearing about this conflict... when is someone gonna step in and say enough already?!

this whole thing feels like its been going on forever... 140k displaced already? thats just numbers, people are still stuck in Aleppo with no clear end to it how do you keep track of who's who when there's so much fighting and shelling? seems like the SDF is trying to protect themselves but also kinda putting civilians in harm's way at the same time i don't get why there can't just be peace talks or something... all these external players are making it so complicated

omg this is getting sooo out of hand Aleppo is literally bleeding on our screens i mean what's next? are we just gonna sit back and watch another city get decimated like a real-life video game it's all about the money and power, folks who cares about the civilians caught in the middle?! they're just pawns to be used as human shields or displaced like dirt i swear the SDF is just trying to protect their turf but honestly it feels like we're just stuck in this never-ending cycle of violence and destruction anyone else tired of all these conflicting interests?! what's supposed to happen next?! can we PLEASE just have some peace for once?!

this is just getting worse by the day aleppo is such a tragic place right now, so many innocent people caught in the middle of this mess... i feel for the 140k+ displaced folks who've lost everything already it's like we're stuck in some kind of nightmare and can't wake up from it meanwhile, the politicians are just making empty promises "let's have a peaceful syria" yeah right... till someone gets hurt... again at this point, i'm not even sure what to hope for anymore

OMG what's going on in Aleppo right now ?? I mean I knew things were still super tense between the gov and Kurdish forces but this is getting crazy !! 140k ppl displaced already and it's only Tuesday Approx. half of them are from Sheikh Maqsoud alone, poor people ! And 8 people already killed in these neighbourhoods, plus dozens more wounded on both sides, it's just heartbreaking

The gov says SDF is using civilians as human shields but the SDF is saying they're local self-defense forces ? I don't know what to believe anymore ! And what's with Turkey wanting to step in here ?? They're already complicating things with their military aid and Hakan Fidan calling SDF "the biggest obstacle to peace" like, are they even trying to be neutral at all ?

And the US is trying to stay out of it but I think they should do more, you know ? They've got the power to help broker a deal or something Meanwhile, Damascus and the SDF failed to agree on anything last week, so we're back to square one What's gonna happen next ??

I'm thinking about those people stuck in Aleppo right now they're going through so much stress and uncertainty I just wanna help them get outta there safely it's like, can't we all just try to live in peace together? the Syrian government and Kurdish forces are fighting, but what about all the innocent people caught in the middle? they're already displaced, now they might lose their homes again... it's heartbreaking

this is so scary for the ppl living in aleppo, shelling is a total nightmare i dont think its cool that both sides are tradin blows and no 1 seems to be tryna find a peaceful soloution it feels like we're stuck in some kinda war loop what's wrong with the world that ppl cant live in pece ???

ok so theres all this drama goin on between the syrian government & kurdish forces but can we not all just get along ? 140k people displaced is just crazy btw how can somethin thats supposed to be a resolution end up causin more pain i just wish theres more ppl talkin about findin solutions rather than escalatin the conflict

my heart goes out to those caught in the middle of this senseless fighting in Aleppo... 140k ppl displaced already? it's just too much ... can't we all just talk it out instead of resorting to violence? i remember when i was younger, my friends and i would fight over stupid stuff and then realize how foolish we were. if only we could learn from each other back then ... the world needs more empathy and understanding than hatred and fear