The Syrian Arab Army has launched concentrated shelling targeting Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) positions inside the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh districts in Aleppo, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported citing a military source.
Intense clashes between the Syrian army and the Kurdish-led SDF erupted on Tuesday, killing at least seven civilians and forcing thousands to evacuate.
Evacuation and Curfew
Earlier on Thursday, the Operations Command of the Syrian Arab Army said it will commence targeted operations against SDF positions in Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and Bani Zeid neighborhoods after 1:30 pm.
Furthermore, it released 8 maps identifying areas of operations, announcing a curfew in the three neighborhoods, taking effect from 1:30 pm until further notice, urging civilians to stay away from SDF positions.
In this context, the Aleppo Central Response Committee announced it has begun implementing a comprehensive emergency plan to secure the exit of civilians from the Sheikh Maqsoud and Al-Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods, as well as several adjacent areas.
It said that it has received approximately 142,000 displaced persons so far, including 13,000 on Thursday as of 1:00 pm.
Renewed Fighting
Clashes flared up between the Syrian government forces and the SDF on Tuesday, with both sides blaming each other for the violence.
The Syrian army claimed that SDF had converted sites in Aleppo neighborhoods into military headquarters and firing positions, using them as a launchpad for operations against the city and its people, according to SANA. It also accused the Kurdish-led forces of targeting Aleppo’s neighborhoods with artillery shells and heavy machine guns.
On the other hand, the SDF accused “factions affiliated with the government in Damascus” of shelling densely populated areas in Aleppo’s residential neighborhoods, in what they called a “brutal military escalation.”
Government health officials in Aleppo said that the heavy fighting has left at least 7 civilians killed and 52 wounded. Meanwhile, the SDF said that 8 people have been killed and 57 injured, as a result of “artillery, rocket, and tank shelling, in addition to drone attacks.”
Syria-SDF Tensions
Tensions between the Ahmed Al-Sharaa’s government and Kurdish-led forces have been on the rise over the implementation of the March 10th agreement between the two sides.
The agreement required the SDF to merge with the new Syrian army by the end of 2025. However, negotiations have repeatedly stalled over the mechanisms of integration.
While Damascus demands the total dissolution of the group into the national ranks, the SDF seeks to join as a cohesive bloc. Most recently, the government accused the SDF of having no intention to implement the agreement.
In late December 2025, clashes erupted between the government forces and SDF in Aleppo, with both sides trading accusations of igniting the fighting. The attacks ended with the two sides agreeing to halt fire as part of a de-escalation effort.
Türkiye Ready to Intervene
Türkiye expressed its readiness to offer help if Syria asked, according to Reuters. “If Syria requests assistance, Türkiye will provide the necessary support,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a briefing on Thursday.
Moreover, the Ministry dismissed any Turkish involvement in the operation against the SDF, saying that the Aleppo operation was “carried out entirely by the Syrian army.”
Türkiye views the SDF as a terrorist organization due to its links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and has opposed the Kurdish-led forces joining the Syrian army as a single unit, demanding that they integrate as individual soldiers.
“We are following the developments in Syria hour by hour. It is an extremely fragile environment,” Turkish Parliament Speaker, Numan Kurtulmus, said at a separate briefing in parliament in Ankara.
“We are ready to provide all kinds of support for the immediate end of the clashes in Aleppo and the establishment of peace and stability,” he added.
