Kurdish Forces Evacuate Aleppo Amid Deadliest Clashes Since Assad's Fall

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), predominantly Kurdish fighters, have agreed to evacuate their remaining troops from the Aleppo neighborhoods of Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud following fierce clashes with Syrian government forces. This decision marks the latest development after what has been described as the most violent confrontations in Aleppo since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

At least 21 civilians have lost their lives since the fighting intensified last Tuesday, and the violence has displaced approximately 155,000 people. The evacuation was facilitated by a ceasefire agreement reached through international mediation, which allowed for the safe withdrawal of fighters as well as the evacuation of the injured, deceased, and trapped civilians to northern and eastern Syria.

Syrian state media confirmed the departure of the last group of SDF members from Sheikh Maqsoud, with Syrian authorities declaring the end of their military operations there. However, the Kurdish forces contested claims of voluntary withdrawal, describing the situation as forced displacement and condemning abductions and civilian suffering.

This outbreak of violence has severely undermined a previous March agreement intended to integrate Kurdish autonomous structures into the Syrian state, a plan still unimplemented. The US and European Union have since called for renewed dialogue and an end to hostilities amid fears of widening regional conflict. Meanwhile, Turkey has expressed support for the Syrian government, and Israel is reported to back the Kurdish groups.

The clashes reflect the ongoing fragility of Syria's internal political landscape and highlight the vulnerable position of minority communities seeking decentralized governance, which remains rejected by Damascus.