The Syrian military has issued a formal evacuation order for civilians residing in the Kurdish-dominated neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo, signaling preparations for renewed offensive operations. This development follows two days of intense clashes that have resulted in at least 17 fatalities and triggered mass civilian displacements.
The current violence represents a significant breakdown in the implementation of a March agreement designed to integrate the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration and military forces into Syria’s new Islamist government structure. The strategic city of Aleppo has effectively shut down, with educational institutions, commercial establishments, and public services remaining closed for consecutive days as security conditions deteriorate.
Military authorities established evacuation corridors on Wednesday that enabled thousands of residents to flee before initiating artillery bombardments against Kurdish positions. A subsequent deadline was imposed on Thursday, with civilians given until 1:00 PM local time to depart before the army threatened to resume combat operations.
A Syrian military official characterized the operation as “limited” in scope, describing its primary objective as pressuring Kurdish fighters to withdraw and enabling government forces to establish complete control over Aleppo. The situation has drawn international concern, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres urging restraint and calling for renewed negotiations to salvage the March integration agreement.
The crisis has generated regional repercussions, with Turkey expressing willingness to support Syrian government operations against Kurdish forces if formally requested. Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the offensive as “serious and dangerous” targeting of ethnic minorities, drawing parallels to Israel’s previous intervention during violence involving Syria’s Druze community.
In the northeastern Kurdish stronghold of Qamishli, hundreds of protesters demonstrated against the Aleppo offensive, carrying banners reading “no to war” and “no to ethnic cleansing” while appealing for international intervention to protect Kurdish communities.