Clashes Escalate in Aleppo as Government and Kurdish Forces Battle

The city of Aleppo is experiencing a significant resurgence of violence as clashes intensify between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-majority Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). This escalation follows a period of stalled negotiations and growing tensions, marking the most severe conflict between the two factions since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.

Reports indicate that at least seven individuals have lost their lives in SDF-controlled areas, while five fatalities have been confirmed in government-held territories. Additionally, dozens have sustained injuries amid the ongoing fighting. Dr. Abdelkader Farah, a physician at Al-Razi Hospital, has been working tirelessly to manage the influx of wounded patients. “We have 35 patients injured in the fighting, 12 of which are children,” he stated. “So far, things are under control, but if conditions worsen, there is a plan to evacuate patients to the countryside.”

In an effort to escape the escalating violence, approximately 46,000 people have been displaced, according to Aleppo’s Directorate of Social Affairs and Labour. The Zain Al-Abidin Mosque has been converted into a temporary shelter, housing 337 individuals who are now sleeping on mattresses on the floor. Shahed Baki Zada, an official from Aleppo Governorate, is overseeing operations at the shelter, which has reached full capacity. “We don’t want them to feel pressured to talk,” she explained, emphasizing the trauma experienced by those seeking refuge.

The past year had seen a tense peace between the Syrian government and the SDF, which controls Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo and significant regions in northeastern Syria. Negotiations to incorporate the SDF into the central government’s security services, ongoing since March, have stalled, with a deadline for resolution passing at the end of the year without success. This breakdown in talks has contributed to the current surge in hostilities.

Military activity has escalated, with government convoys transporting troops and heavy weaponry towards the conflict zones. The government has declared the Kurdish neighborhoods of Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud as “closed military zones,” issuing an evacuation order for residents. The sound of artillery fire has become a constant backdrop, raising fears that the government may attempt to seize control of these neighborhoods by force.

Both the SDF and the government command substantial military forces, each capable of mobilizing tens of thousands of armed fighters. The historical context of the four-year siege of Aleppo from 2012 to 2016 underscores the complexity of urban warfare, which often involves heavily fortified positions.

The Kurdish forces issued a statement holding the government responsible for the escalating violence, warning that the situation threatens the stability of Aleppo and the broader region. “The dangerous escalation that threatens the lives of thousands of civilians risk plunging all of Syria back into an open battlefield,” they cautioned.

On Thursday morning, Syrian state news agency Sana reported that SDF forces targeted security positions in the eastern province of Deir Ez Zour, although this claim remains unverified. As the clashes continue to involve heavy weaponry, reports indicate that government forces have yet to enter the contested neighborhoods.

The situation in Aleppo remains fluid, with both military and humanitarian implications as the conflict unfolds. The international community is watching closely, as the potential for a broader conflict looms over the region.