Residents have begun to return to a disputed area in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo following recent violent clashes between government forces and Kurdish-led groups. Emergency responders have entered the neighborhood to assist residents, clear debris, and dismantle explosives.
The conflict erupted last Tuesday in the predominantly Kurdish districts of Sheikh Maqsoud, Achrafieh, and Bani Zaid after disagreements arose between the government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the primary Kurdish-led faction in the country, regarding the integration of the SDF into the national army. Security forces have now seized control of Achrafieh and Bani Zaid.
These confrontations marked the fiercest hostilities since the toppling of then-president Bashar al-Assad to rebels in December 2024. The clashes over five days resulted in the loss of 23 lives, with over 140,000 individuals displaced due to heavy shelling and drone attacks.
Kurdish fighters have withdrawn from Sheikh Maqsoud to northeastern Syria, an SDF-held territory. Despite evacuating the wounded and civilians, they have declared an intention to continue their resistance, referring to it as a “partial ceasefire.”
Presently, the neighborhood appears tranquil.
Government security personnel escorted journalists to survey the ravaged area, showcasing the damaged Khalid al-Fajer Hospital and an SDF security forces’ military post targeted by government troops.
The SDF accused the government of repeatedly attacking the hospital before patients were evacuated, while Damascus alleged that the Kurdish-led group had transformed the hospital and other civilian structures into military strongholds.
On a street within the area, members of the Syrian Red Crescent conversed with a resident amidst burned vehicles and severely damaged residences. Some residents mentioned that SDF forces had prevented their vehicles from passing through checkpoints to exit the district.
Ahmad Shaikho recounted the harrowing night lived through, expressing relief at the current calmness devoid of gunfire.
Syrian Civil Defence teams have been engaged in dismantling makeshift mines left behind by Kurdish forces as traps. Displaced residents are being prohibited from returning until all mines are cleared, evoking memories of the prolonged displacement during Syria’s civil war.
Hoda Alnasiri pleaded, “I want to go back to my home, I beg you.”