Residents of Aleppo’s Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsud neighbourhoods fled their homes during a temporary lull in fighting, carrying personal belongings as they searched for safer areas across the city.
The displacement followed a surge in clashes that began on Tuesday, marking the most serious fighting in months between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Local sources reported that at least nine people were killed, including civilians, as violence engulfed residential areas.
Both sides accused each other of shelling civilian neighbourhoods, intensifying fears among residents already accustomed to years of instability. The exchanges damaged homes and infrastructure, further deepening the humanitarian strain in the northern city.
The renewed violence comes amid stalled political talks over a March agreement aimed at integrating Kurdish forces into Syria’s national army. Despite several meetings held in Damascus, officials have acknowledged that little progress has been made, leaving the deal in limbo.
As negotiations falter, civilians continue to bear the brunt of the confrontation, caught between rival forces in a city still struggling to recover from the long-running conflict. Local aid workers warn that further escalation could trigger additional displacement and worsen humanitarian conditions in Aleppo.
