The Syrian military has issued a stark evacuation order for civilians residing in two predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo, signaling an imminent escalation of military operations. Authorities announced a Thursday afternoon deadline for residents to depart from the besieged districts of Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh before commencing renewed artillery strikes.
This development follows intense clashes between government forces and Kurdish-led militias that have resulted in at least seventeen casualties since Tuesday. Thousands of civilians have already fled through army-established corridors following Wednesday’s evacuation window, which was followed by shelling after the designated deadline expired.
The current violence disrupts implementation of a March agreement designed to integrate the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration in northern Syria into the country’s new Islamist government structure. A military official described the operation as “limited” in scope, intended to pressure Kurdish fighters to withdraw and enable government forces to establish full control over Aleppo.
International responses have emerged from multiple quarters. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed for restraint and urged both parties to resume negotiations. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the attacks against Kurdish minorities as “serious and dangerous,” while Turkey, a Syrian government ally, expressed readiness to provide military support if officially requested by Damascus.
In the northeastern Kurdish city of Qamishli, hundreds protested the Aleppo violence, displaying banners reading “no to war” and “no to ethnic cleansing” while calling for international intervention. The ongoing conflict has paralyzed daily life in Aleppo, with educational institutions and commercial establishments remaining closed for consecutive days.