Command Orders Halt Fighting

Syrian government forces and the SDF declared a ceasefire in Aleppo on Monday evening following clashes that left at least three people dead and several wounded. Syria’s Ministry of Defense and the SDF said they issued direct orders to units under their command to stop hostilities, marking the latest attempt to contain violence in the divided northern city.

The state news agency SANA reported that the Syrian General Staff instructed the army to “stop targeting the SDF.” In parallel, the SDF announced it had ordered its forces to cease responding to government attacks as part of de-escalation efforts. The clashes had erupted earlier in Aleppo between government units and SDF-linked forces, whose backbone is formed by the YPG, the armed wing of the PYD.

Mutual Accusations Over Civilians

Both sides traded accusations over civilian casualties. The Syrian government said SDF shelling killed two civilians and injured eight others. The SDF countered that government forces struck the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods, killing one civilian and wounding six. Each side blamed the other for initiating the fighting and rejected responsibility for targeting civilians.

Damascus accused the SDF of attacking security personnel at joint checkpoints around Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh. The SDF, in turn, said government forces deliberately targeted residential areas in those districts. Neither claim could be independently verified, and both parties denied the other’s allegations.

Fragmented Control in Aleppo

Aleppo has remained largely under government control since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad on 8 December 2024, which ended 61 years of Baath Party rule. Despite that shift, control of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh—two predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods—remains in the hands of local Kurdish forces aligned with the SDF. These areas have repeatedly been flashpoints due to their semi-autonomous status and the presence of joint or contested security arrangements.

Clashes also broke out in Aleppo in October, after which the Syrian government announced a “comprehensive ceasefire” with Kurdish forces. Following the latest violence, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria accused forces affiliated with the transitional government of attacking Kurdish-majority districts, saying such actions undermined efforts to reach an inclusive political settlement for all Syrians.

Security Measures and Closures

In response to the unrest, Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib announced the temporary suspension of activities at schools, universities, and government offices in the city center on Tuesday. He urged civilians—particularly Christians living near the fighting ahead of Christmas—to refrain from public gatherings until security conditions improve.

The Interior Ministry said security units had been reinforced in affected neighborhoods to protect civilians and keep them away from shelling and active combat zones. Syrian media reported that security forces established a cordon around Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh to prevent further escalation and facilitate the safe evacuation of residents from high-risk areas.