The Syrian transitional government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) released hundreds of detainees held by both sides in the northern city of Aleppo on Monday, June 2, according to a security source to +963.
The source reported that a total of 469 individuals were released, including 293 affiliated with the SDF and 176 linked to the transitional government. The exchange involved both civilians and military personnel.
This marks the second such prisoner exchange since the agreement signed in early April between the transitional administration and the General Council of the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods.
+963 earlier published video footage on its official Facebook page, showing the exchange taking place in Aleppo.
A military source told +963 that the SDF had transferred dozens of detainees to Aleppo last Monday in preparation for the swap. The prisoners had been held in various SDF detention centres across northern and eastern Syria. According to the source, most of the released detainees were members of the Syrian National Army, affiliated with Türkiye, and had been captured during fighting in Aleppo’s eastern countryside, including areas around the Tishreen Dam.
The 14-point agreement between Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, two Kurdish-majority neighbourhoods, recognised them as administratively part of Aleppo. It emphasised the protection and respect of their residents’ social and cultural identities as a cornerstone for fostering peaceful coexistence.
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The agreement remains valid until a permanent solution is reached by the joint central committees. Under its terms, the Ministry of Interior, working with the Internal Security Forces (Asayish), is responsible for ensuring the safety of residents and preventing any assaults.
It also prohibits armed demonstrations in the neighbourhoods and restricts the possession of weapons to the internal security forces under the Ministry of Interior. Military forces are required to withdraw, with their arms, to areas east of the Euphrates.
The agreement mandates the removal of dirt berms from public roads while maintaining key checkpoints under Internal Security supervision until stability is restored. Two new internal security centres are being established in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, with guarantees of freedom of movement for residents.
Furthermore, the agreement bars prosecution of individuals sought before the deal, unless they were directly involved in spilling Syrian blood.
Finally, civil institutions in both neighbourhoods will operate in coordination with Aleppo’s city services and are expected to deliver services without discrimination, through two municipal branches established locally.
