A steady trickle of civilians was forced to flee on foot from contested areas east of Aleppo on Thursday, 15 January 2026, following a stark warning from the Syrian military of an imminent offensive against Kurdish-led forces.
Evacuation Corridor Dispute and Civilian Flight
The Syrian army had announced a "humanitarian corridor" would be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, allowing civilians to travel west from the town of Maskana through Deir Hafer to Hamima. However, the evacuation quickly became mired in accusations. Government officials and some residents claimed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) blocked people from using the designated route.
Farhat Khorto, a member of the Aleppo Governorate's executive office, alleged that nearly two hundred civilian cars and hundreds of people were prevented from leaving Deir Hafer by the SDF. He stated the SDF warned evacuees they could face "sniping operations or booby-trapped explosives" on the main road.
In contrast, SDF spokesman Farhad Shami firmly denied the allegations, calling them "baseless" and suggesting government shelling was the real deterrent. The result was a scene of confusion and hardship. In Hamima, ambulances and officials waited from early morning, but very few evacuees arrived via the official corridor.
Families Take Perilous Back Routes to Escape
Faced with a blocked main road, many families undertook dangerous journeys to reach safety. Saleh al-Othman reported fleeing Deir Hafer with over 50 relatives. "We tried to leave this morning, but the SDF prevented us. So we left on foot … we walked about seven to eight kilometres until we hit the main road," he said.
Another resident, Yasser al-Hasno, described how his family used back roads and ultimately crossed a small river on foot to exit the evacuation zone after finding primary routes closed. These accounts underscore the severe risks civilians are taking to avoid the anticipated fighting.
Broader Conflict and Stalled Negotiations
The evacuation order is widely seen as a precursor to a significant Syrian government military operation against the SDF in the Aleppo countryside. The army has demanded that the SDF and other armed groups withdraw east of the Euphrates River, into areas they already control.
This escalation follows:
- Intense clashes in Aleppo city last week, ending with Kurdish fighters evacuating.
- A complete stall in negotiations between Damascus and the SDF over a March agreement on force integration and government control of border crossings and oil fields.
Complicating the landscape, elements of the new Syrian army include former Turkey-backed insurgent groups with a history of conflict with Kurdish forces. The SDF, a long-time US partner against Islamic State, is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey.
Despite its alliance with the SDF, the US Trump administration has also cultivated ties with the interim Syrian government led by Ahmad al-Sharaa and has refrained from publicly choosing sides in the Aleppo clashes. Meanwhile, SDF-affiliated official Ilham Ahmed stated they are in contact with both the US and Turkey, pushing for de-escalation and denying claims they failed to implement the March accord.
The situation remains tense, with limited exchanges of fire already reported and the threat of a larger offensive casting a shadow over the region.
