The Syrian army has ordered civilians to evacuate several neighbourhoods of Aleppo, as intense fighting with Kurdish-led forces entered a third day, raising the spectre of a broader conflict in the war-torn country.
Evacuation Order and Intensifying Clashes
On Thursday, the Syrian government urged residents to leave the contested districts of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and Bani Zeid by early afternoon. It opened humanitarian corridors and set up displacement shelters to facilitate the exodus. The army stated it would begin military operations against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) after the deadline passed, issuing maps of specific areas to be cleared.
Shortly after the 1.30pm local time (1030 GMT) deadline, shelling commenced, with both government forces and the SDF exchanging fire. These clashes represent the most severe fighting in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
Mounting Humanitarian Toll and Political Stalemate
The human cost of the violence is rapidly escalating. According to Aleppo's directorate of social affairs and labour, approximately 140,000 civilians have been displaced since the fighting began on Tuesday. Casualty reports indicate at least eight civilians killed in Kurdish-majority neighbourhoods, and seven civilians plus one soldier killed in government-controlled zones, with dozens more wounded on both sides.
This outbreak of violence exposes the deep rift between Damascus and the SDF, despite a 10 March 2025 agreement for the SDF to integrate into the Syrian army. Disagreements over the terms of that merger have stalled progress. The SDF, which controls nearly a third of Syrian territory, seeks autonomy and has grown more determined to retain its arms following reported atrocities by government-backed factions elsewhere in Syria.
International Reactions and Fears of Wider War
The situation has drawn concerned responses from international actors. A US State Department official urged restraint on all sides, noting that US envoy Tom Barrack was attempting to mediate. The US faces a delicate balancing act, maintaining its longstanding alliance with the SDF while engaging with the new authorities in Damascus.
Regional dynamics further complicate the crisis. Turkey, which views the SDF as a terrorist-linked group, labelled it the "biggest obstacle to peace in Syria" and offered military aid to Damascus if requested. Meanwhile, SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami warned that the fighting in Aleppo had "opened the door to the expansion of the war into other areas."
With a meeting on Sunday yielding no breakthrough, distrust is deepening. Protests erupted in SDF-held Qamishli in solidarity with Kurdish forces, while images of civilian casualties circulated on social media, fuelling anger on both sides. The Syrian government's announcement that it intends to push Kurdish fighters from all of Aleppo city suggests the fragile situation may deteriorate further.
