Renewed clashes between Syrian government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) erupted Tuesday, January 6, in northern Aleppo, demonstrating the fragility of the March 10 deal whose deadline expired at the end of last year and casting doubt on recent talks held in Damascus.
Fighting centered on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods and around the Layramoun and Sheehan roundabouts, where medium and heavy weapons were used, according to local reporters and official statements. The violence followed hours of sporadic shelling that struck multiple districts across the city.
Local correspondents said a shell landed near the Agriculture Directorate in the al-Midan neighborhood, killing two civilians and wounding three others who were taken to Razi Hospital. The Aleppo Health Directorate later reported an initial toll of three dead and two wounded from shelling it attributed to SDF forces. Syrian state media said nine Agriculture Directorate employees were injured when a shell hit the complex.
Civilian toll and Displacement
Similar to attacks last month, the escalation triggered new displacement from neighborhoods near the front lines. Residents fled parts of Ashrafieh and Midan as roads linking Layramoun and Sheehan were cut off amid heightened security measures. Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib urged residents to avoid gathering points and areas of contact, citing risks from ongoing shelling.
At Razi Hospital, Ahmad Abu Sheikh waited for word on his 4-year-old daughter, Fatima al-Zahra, who was wounded by shrapnel. “I just want to know what can I tell my daughter when I see her? Where did her eye go?” he told the Associated Press.
The Aleppo Media Directorate accused the SDF of violating agreements with the government and said its forces targeted areas near the Sheikhan roundabout, killing one Defense Ministry member and wounding three others. The Syrian Army Operations Directorate announced that the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo will be closed military zones after 3:00 PM, January 7, urging civilians to stay away, with a full curfew in affect from then until both neighborhoods are secured.
Mutual Accusations and Siege Claims
The SDF denied responsibility for the Midan shelling, claiming a projectile fired by “factions affiliated with the Damascus government” missed its intended target in Sheikh Maqsoud and landed in the adjacent neighborhood. It described the attack as indiscriminate and a violation of humanitarian law.
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), the SDF’s political umbrella, condemned what it called “a siege of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh,” citing civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. Asayish, the SDF’s internal security force, said artillery fire by government forces killed three people, including two women, and injured 11 others in an initial count.
Stalled Talks and Lingering Fears
The clashes come days after Syrian and SDF officials met in Damascus to revive the March 10 agreement to integrate SDF forces into the national army, talks that Syrian officials said produced no tangible results. The deadline for implementation of the vital integration agreement expired at the end of 2025.
Syria’s Defense Ministry accused the SDF of trying to drag the army into an open battle. The SDF countered that government forces were escalating. Residents and officials also voiced concern that continued violence will persist as long as SDF units remain embedded in the city, amid unverified claims that remnants of the former Assad regime have sought refuge within SDF-held areas.
