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2w ago

Syria Declares Closed Zone East of Aleppo, Opens Corridor as Reinforcements Arrive

The order follows a breakdown in talks to integrate Kurdish-led forces into the national military.

Syrian Kurds attend a protest in solidarity with the people in the neighborhood of Sheikh Maksoud and Ashrafiya, as The last Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters left the Syrian city of Aleppo on Sunday, state-run Ekhbariya TV said, following a ceasefire deal that allowed evacuations after days of deadly clashes, in Qamishli, Syria January 13, 2026. REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
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An aerial view shows the area in the predominantly Kurdish Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood where clashes broke out Tuesday Jan. 6 between government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
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Overview

  • Government forces now control Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh and Bani Zeid after Kurdish fighters evacuated over the weekend.
  • The army ordered armed groups to withdraw to the east of the Euphrates and urged civilians to avoid Kurdish positions, announcing a humanitarian corridor on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Reinforcements, including artillery and air defense units, moved toward Deir Hafer and Maskana, with several roads closed and limited overnight skirmishes reported.
  • The SDF denied any buildup near Deir Hafer and accused government troops of striking civilian sites, while authorities linked previous drone and sniper attacks to Kurdish positions.
  • Protests erupted in Qamishli as reports tallied dozens of deaths and mass displacement, and U.S. Central Command urged restraint and a return to negotiations.