At least 12 people have reportedly been killed during two days of intense clashes between Syrian government and Kurdish fighters in the northern city of Aleppo.
Tens of thousands of civilians have also fled the Kurdish majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, which the Syrian army shelled on Wednesday afternoon after designating them as closed military areas.
The government stated that the operation was a response to attacks by armed groups in the areas and aimed solely at preserving security. In contrast, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which asserts it has no military presence in Aleppo, condemned the actions as a criminal attempt to forcibly displace residents.
One Aleppo resident described the situation as terrible and awful. Many have left for safer towns, while those remaining experience intermittent calm punctuated by sudden outbreaks of violence. A displaced man from Ashrafieh, Samer Issa, shared his experiences of seeking shelter in a mosque with his children due to the shelling.
This resurgence of violence highlights the ongoing challenges facing the government of President Ahmad al-Sharaa. After leading the offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad last year, divisions remain deep within a fractured country.
In March 2025, the SDF, which controls much of Syria's northeast and possesses tens of thousands of fighters, signed an agreement to integrate military and civilian institutions into the Syrian state. However, implementation has yet to occur as both parties accuse each other of undermining the agreement.
The SDF's reluctance to relinquish the autonomy gained during the civil war complicates the situation further, as the standoff in Aleppo threatens to involve Turkey, which supports the Syrian government and views the Kurdish militia as a terrorist group.
