Syria’s Defense Ministry has declared a unilateral pause in hostilities across Aleppo, effective from 3:00 AM on Tuesday. The truce follows three days of heavy clashes that displaced around 142,000 people and killed at least 21.
Fighting Focused on Kurdish Districts
The battles, which began on January 6, centered on the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Ashrafieh, Sheikh Maqsoud, and Bani Zaid. Government troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) traded fire in some of the fiercest urban combat seen in the city since the political transition in late 2024.
Humanitarian Toll Mounts
- 21 confirmed dead and dozens injured on both sides
- 142,000 people forced to flee, many heading toward Afrin
- Thousands sheltered in mosques, churches, and nine temporary centers inside Aleppo
- Several hospitals shut down due to shelling
- Aleppo International Airport remains closed to flights
Roots of the Conflict
The violence stems from the failure to implement a March 2025 agreement aimed at merging the U.S.-backed SDF into the national army by the end of 2025. Both sides blame each other for blocking progress, especially over issues of Kurdish military independence and regional command structures.
Ceasefire Terms
The Defense Ministry outlined clear conditions for the pause:
- Armed fighters may withdraw to the northeast carrying only light personal weapons
- The Syrian Arab Army will escort them to SDF-held areas
- Internal security forces have started deploying in Ashrafieh to restore normal services and allow residents to return
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack described the pause as a “critical step” and is reportedly engaging both the Syrian government and SDF to extend the calm.
Fragile Hope Amid Uncertainty
For the thousands now sheltering in the city’s religious buildings, the ceasefire offers a brief window of relief. Many fear it is only a temporary break in a long cycle of instability.
