Violent clashes erupted over the past few days between the Syrian security and military forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Aleppo and around the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo, marking the most serious breach of the March 10 agreement to date.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the SDF shelled residential neighborhoods and internal security checkpoints, killing one member of the Internal Security Forces and injuring three others. Civil Defense reported that the bombardment also killed one civilian and wounded five others, including two women, in Saif al-Dawla and Al-Midan neighborhoods.
Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib announced the closure of schools, universities, and government offices on Tuesday due to the violence, emphasizing that the government “remains committed to the agreement and seeks to prevent bloodshed.” Despite these assurances, heavy shelling and sniper fire forced hundreds of residents to shelter indoors as government reinforcements surrounded the conflict zone.
Syrian Officials Condemn Escalation
The Syrian Ministry of Defense described the SDF’s actions as “repeated violations” of the March 10 accord, accusing the group of targeting civilians, army personnel, and public institutions. The ministry’s Media and Communications Department told SANA that army movements in northern Syria are part of a “redeployment plan” rather than a military escalation, adding that “responses are limited to the sources of SDF fire.”
Interior Ministry spokesman Nouruddin al-Baba said approximately 25 civilians were wounded in the SDF’s shelling of Aleppo’s neighborhoods. He accused the group of “inciting residents” and using the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud areas for smuggling weapons and contraband. “The dominance of the isolationist current within the SDF has prevented the implementation of the March agreement so far,” Baba said in remarks to Al-Ikhbariyah.
Ceasefire Efforts and Continuing Tensions
Following the clashes, an official source confirmed a temporary ceasefire was reached late Monday night, October 6, after mediation by security officials. The agreement came after hours of mutual shelling that caused “widespread panic and significant material damage” across several Aleppo neighborhoods, including Bustan al-Basha and Suryan.
However, the calm remained fragile. The Ministry of Defense reiterated its “full commitment to the March 10 agreement,” which had outlined the SDF’s gradual integration into state institutions and the restoration of government control over strategic facilities in northeastern Syria. Damascus accuses the SDF of “backtracking on its commitments” and obstructing state authority through armed provocations.
Repeated Attacks Beyond Aleppo
Sunday’s violence in Aleppo followed similar confrontations in Deir Hafer, east of the city, where the SDF allegedly shelled the villages of Hmeima and Kita. The Ministry of Defense denied SDF claims that government forces targeted residential areas, saying the army acted “in response to the sources of fire only.”
With repeated breaches of the ceasefire and mounting civilian casualties, government officials warn that the SDF’s ongoing actions threaten not only Aleppo’s stability but also the broader framework of national reconciliation envisioned by the March 10 agreement.
