Civilians flee Aleppo neighbourhoods as Syrian army and SDF clash and a ceasefire is announced

Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
10h ago
Residents fled Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh as clashes between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led SDF killed at least 22 people, wounded 173, and prompted a ceasefire announcement and curfew orders.
Civilians flee Aleppo neighbourhoods as Syrian army and SDF clash and a ceasefire is announced
A What happened
Residents fled the Aleppo neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, and Rana Issa said her family fled Ashrafieh under sniper fire and her children were terrified. Syria’s Ministry of Defence announced a ceasefire in Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh and Bani Zaid starting at 3am (00:00 GMT) and said armed groups had a six-hour window to leave contested areas, with departing fighters allowed to carry personal light weapons. Aleppo authorities imposed a curfew until further notice in several neighbourhoods, and a local media official said more than 100,000 civilians fled Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud during the week. At least 22 people were reported killed and 173 wounded since fighting began on Tuesday, with the Syrian military and the SDF trading accusations over shelling of civilian areas.
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Key insights

  • 1

    Ceasefire terms included a timed withdrawal window and limits on weapons: The Defence Ministry set a six-hour window for armed groups to leave contested areas and said departing fighters could carry personal light weapons.

  • 2

    Local Kurdish councils rejected evacuation calls: Councils in Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud said they would not evacuate and said Kurdish-led forces would defend their neighbourhoods.

  • 3

    Reintegration talks were described as undermined by violence: SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said the violence in Aleppo undermined talks with the government in Damascus on integration into state institutions.

Takeaways

Fighting in Aleppo displaced large numbers of civilians and led to a curfew and a ceasefire announcement that was reported as fragile.

Topics

World & Politics International Affairs Conflicts Security & Defense Law & Public Safety Public Safety

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