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20h ago

Syria Seals Kurdish Districts in Aleppo as Shelling Follows Evacuation Orders

The escalation follows a stalled March deal to integrate the Kurdish-led force into state structures.

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An aerial view shows Syrian residents in vehicles, queueing to flee from Sheikh Maqsoud and Achrafieh neighborhoods after clashes broke out on Tuesday between Syrian government forces and Kurdish fighters in a contested area of the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
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Members of the civil defence help a woman during the evacuation of civilians from the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods, following renewed clashes between the Syrian army and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Aleppo, Syria, January 7, 2026. REUTERS/Karam al-Masri

Overview

  • Army commanders designated Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh as closed military zones, warned residents to leave, and launched what officials called targeted operations after evacuation deadlines expired.
  • Thousands of residents used humanitarian corridors to flee, with Aleppo authorities reporting more than 46,000 people displaced across the province since Wednesday.
  • Casualty figures remain disputed, with the SDF saying at least eight civilians were killed in Kurdish-held areas and officials reporting at least five civilians and one soldier killed in government-held zones.
  • Authorities suspended flights to Aleppo airport, shut schools and government offices, and imposed a curfew in the targeted neighborhoods as clashes disrupted daily life.
  • Negotiations on integrating the SDF into Syria’s forces have produced no tangible progress, as the UN called for de-escalation and Turkey said the operation is Syrian-led but pledged support if requested.