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.
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 
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 
and now Aleppo is in the middle of this whole thing which makes total sense considering its one of the last major rebel strongholds 
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 
... 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 
... and what's up with all these human shields being thrown around? Just a bunch of civilians getting caught in the crossfire 
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? 
.
. We need to stay vigilant and hope that someone with the power to make things happen will step up soon 
and lets be real turkey's position on sdf makes things way worse 
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 
. US trying to keep everyone calm, but Turkey is straight up saying the SDF is an obstacle to peace 
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 
i mean what's next? 
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 
What's gonna happen next ??
it's like, can't we all just try to live in peace together? 
they're already displaced, now they might lose their homes again... it's heartbreaking 
i dont think its cool that both sides are tradin blows and no 1 seems to be tryna find a peaceful soloution 
how can somethin thats supposed to be a resolution end up causin more pain 