Overview
- Syrian forces said their sweep of Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud district was more than 90% complete and urged remaining Kurdish fighters to surrender, reporting arrests during combing operations.
- Security sources and reporters on the ground said some Kurdish fighters and Asayish members were escorted out or surrendered, while others remained entrenched, including in a hospital where street battles continued.
- Damascus’ temporary ceasefire ordered withdrawals by 9 a.m. Friday, but Kurdish councils rejected what they called a forced surrender, prompting renewed strikes, evacuation warnings and mapped target announcements.
- At least 21 civilian deaths were reported and more than 140,000 people fled the fighting, with disputed claims over strikes on a hospital that Kurdish forces say hit a medical facility and the army calls a weapons depot.
- U.S. envoy Tom Barrack worked to extend the pause and met Jordan’s foreign minister as France and the UN pressed de-escalation, while Turkey welcomed Damascus’ operation and said it could support if requested.