Syria’s Kurdish fighters have agreed to withdraw from Aleppo following a ceasefire deal after days of deadly clashes with government forces. The Syrian military reported that operations in the Kurdish-held Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood had concluded, and state television showed buses transporting Kurdish fighters to northern Syria. The government had previously announced control over Aleppo’s other Kurdish-controlled district, Ashrafiyeh.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) confirmed that an understanding was reached to secure a ceasefire and facilitate the evacuation of fighters, civilians, the wounded, and the dead from Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud to northern and eastern Syria. The agreement was mediated by international actors, aimed at halting hostilities and protecting civilians. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, also known as Mazloum Kobani, emphasized the importance of ensuring the safe return of displaced residents and called on mediators to uphold their commitments.

The evacuation, however, was initially denied by the SDF, which described bus transfers as forced displacement of civilians. AFP correspondents observed buses transporting men from Sheikh Maqsoud, though they could not independently verify identities. Families trapped by the fighting were escorted out by Syrian security forces, with children carried on the backs of relatives. Young men in civilian clothes were separated from evacuees, reportedly identified as fighters, and taken to detention centers. Local residents expressed concern about returning home, with some having fled days earlier amid the violence. Aleppo airport’s flight suspension was extended indefinitely.

The clashes marked some of the most intense fighting in Aleppo since the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. At least 21 civilians were reported killed, according to figures from both sides, and the governor of Aleppo stated that 155,000 people were displaced. Both the SDF and Syrian authorities blamed each other for initiating the violence, which erupted after negotiations to integrate the Kurdish forces into the national government stalled.

The United States and the European Union called for renewed dialogue between Damascus and the Kurdish authorities. US envoy Tom Barrack met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, stressing the need to return to political discussions consistent with the March 2025 integration framework. This agreement, originally scheduled for implementation last year, stalled over Kurdish demands for decentralized governance, which Damascus rejected.

Regional actors closely monitored the situation amid fears of wider escalation. Turkey, a key ally of Syria’s new Islamist-led authorities, indicated readiness to intervene, while Israel expressed support for the Kurdish forces. Analysts noted that the clashes tested Syria’s ability to reunify after the civil war and protect minority communities, following sectarian violence among Alawite and Druze groups last year.

Al Jazeera reported that calm returned to Aleppo following the withdrawal of the last SDF fighters. Governor Azzam al-Gharib confirmed that the city was now free of Kurdish combatants, with buses coordinating their exit overnight. The fighting’s intensity and the scale of displacement - over 150,000 people - highlight the ongoing fragility of Aleppo and the broader region. The SDF, estimated to number between 50,000 and 90,000 fighters and controlling roughly a quarter of Syrian territory, remains reluctant to relinquish autonomy over the northeast, complicating prospects for integration into state structures.

While hostilities have paused, the underlying tensions remain unresolved. The SDF continues to resist full integration into the Syrian government’s command, seeking to maintain self-governance in the northeast. Analysts warn that the ceasefire in Aleppo provides only temporary relief, as the fundamental disputes over territory, governance, and political representation persist, leaving the question of long-term national stability uncertain.