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13h ago

Syria Declares Aleppo Ceasefire, Sets Deadline for Kurdish Fighters’ Withdrawal

Washington is pressing to prolong the pause following Damascus’s order for SDF‑linked fighters to withdraw under escort.

Traces of a shell following clashes between the Syrian army and the Syrian Democratic Forces in Aleppo, Syria, January 8, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano
Traces of a shell following clashes between the Syrian army and the Syrian Democratic Forces in Aleppo, Syria, January 8, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano
Residents flee the Sheikh Maqsoud and Achrafieh neighbourhoods after clashes erupted Tuesday between Syrian government forces and Kurdish fighters in a contested area of the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Residents displaced from the Sheikh Maqsoud and Achrafieh neighborhoods take shelter inside a mosque in Aleppo, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, after clashes erupted Tuesday between Syrian government forces and Kurdish fighters in a contested area of Aleppo. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

Overview

  • Syria’s Defence Ministry said the truce took effect at 3 a.m. in Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyeh and Bani Zeid, with a 9 a.m. deadline for withdrawal.
  • Departing fighters may carry personal light weapons and will receive an escort to the Kurdish‑controlled northeast, according to the statement.
  • At least 21 people have been killed and displacement is extensive, with AP and state outlets reporting up to about 142,000 residents forced to flee.
  • U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said he is working to prolong the pause, and local reports said the ceasefire was informally extended without a formal notice.
  • The military opened humanitarian corridors and ordered evacuations, Turkey offered help if requested, and the clashes reflect a wider impasse over integrating SDF forces into the state.