Aleppo Clashes Escalate as SDF–Army Fighting Leaves Civilian Casualties
Renewed violence in northern Aleppo kills civilians, stalls integration deal, and raises regional alarm
Syria | PUREWILAYAH.COM - Renewed clashes in northern Aleppo have escalated sharply, leaving civilians dead and injured, as fighting intensifies between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and factions affiliated with the Syrian army amid mounting political and security tensions.
Neighborhoods including Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafieh witnessed heavy fighting on Thursday, prompting curfews, evacuation orders, and warnings from Damascus and Ankara as the situation deteriorated.
Civilians Caught in Escalating Violence
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that residents in Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafieh are calling for de-escalation, as what it described as a new escalation announced by the transitional government threatens further civilian lives.
According to the Observatory, the transitional government imposed a curfew starting at 1:30 p.m. until further notice, warning civilians to avoid SDF positions and announcing the start of targeted operations.
The Syrian army also released more than seven maps identifying areas slated for strikes, urging residents to evacuate immediately.
Deadly Clashes and Rising Casualties
Citing SDF sources, the Observatory said intermittent clashes have continued since dawn on Tuesday between Internal Security Forces (Asayish) and government forces, involving light, medium, and heavy weaponry.
The fighting has left 18 people dead, including 12 civilians—among them four women and one child. Nine civilians were killed in Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafieh, while three died in the Midan neighborhood. Six fighters from both sides were also killed, and 62 civilians were injured, most of them women and children.
The Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management of the transitional government in Damascus accused the SDF of targeting a Syrian Civil Defense ambulance with sniper fire in Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafieh, lightly wounding a female paramedic.
The Ministry described the incident as a serious crime and a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, stating that attacks on rescue teams obstruct lifesaving efforts and hinder humanitarian access. The incident reportedly occurred as authorities were attempting to open humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to leave the besieged neighborhoods.
Turkey Issues Warnings, Denies Direct Involvement
Turkey’s Ministry of Defense said it is closely monitoring developments, stressing that Turkey’s security is directly linked to Syria’s stability. The Ministry stated that Syrian armed forces are conducting operations in northern Aleppo independently, denying direct Turkish military involvement.
Ankara said it is prepared to provide assistance if requested, within frameworks that preserve Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity, while reiterating support for Syria’s fight against what it termed “terrorist organizations.”
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Ankara is following developments in Aleppo hour by hour and is ready to provide support to help end the clashes.
Kurtulmuş emphasized that stability in Aleppo is critical to regional stability, citing the humanitarian and security implications of continued fighting in northern Syria.
Stalled March 10 Agreement Fuels Renewed Conflict
The renewed clashes come amid the stalling of the March 10 Agreement, which aimed to integrate the Kurdish semi-autonomous administration and its military structures into Syria’s new government.
The failure to implement the deal has fueled recurring tensions, particularly in Aleppo’s Kurdish-majority neighborhoods. Both sides accused each other of initiating Tuesday’s fighting, which continued into the night and marked the deadliest confrontation since the fall of Bashar al-Assad more than a year ago.
In a statement carried by state news agency SANA, the Defense Ministry accused the SDF of targeting several Aleppo neighborhoods adjacent to areas under its control. SANA reported that SDF shelling killed a child in al-Midan, following earlier reports of three civilian deaths and the killing of a Defense Ministry member.
The Agriculture Ministry confirmed that two of the five casualties were employees at a local research center.
Integration Deal in Limbo
Signed on March 10, 2025, between interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the SDF leadership, the agreement was intended to dismantle years of de facto autonomy in northeastern Syria.
The deal envisioned integrating Kurdish civilian and military institutions into the Syrian state by the end of 2025, guaranteeing citizenship rights, restoring central control over borders and strategic resources, and enabling the return of displaced civilians.
However, disputes over power, security arrangements, and autonomy have stalled implementation—turning the agreement into a flashpoint rather than a pathway to stability.
A Fragile Syria Under Renewed Strain
The Aleppo clashes underscore the deep fragility of Syria’s post-war order, where unresolved integration deals, armed factions backed by foreign interests, and transitional authorities lacking consensus continue to expose civilians to violence.
As tensions rise and agreements collapse, Aleppo once again stands as a frontline—its civilians paying the price for political deadlock, militarized governance, and externally fueled instability. (PW)