Aleppo, north Syria – A source in Syria’s interim government said Tuesday that an agreement has been reached to halt fighting in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh districts, following heavy clashes overnight.
According to state television Al-Ikhbariyah, the ceasefire was concluded shortly after midnight on Tuesday, ending hours of intense confrontations between the Kurdish-led Internal Security Forces (Asayish) and government troops.
The two neighbourhoods witnessed violent exchanges late Monday after local residents held demonstrations demanding the reopening of key access roads blocked by security forces.
Our correspondent reported that government forces fired mortar shells at the outskirts of Sheikh Maqsoud, though no casualties were confirmed. The clashes also saw the use of tear gas, which caused more than ten cases of suffocation among protesters, the correspondent added.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defense’s Media and Communications Department said the military’s recent movements were part of a broader redeployment plan across northern and northeastern Syria. It added that the government “remains committed” to the March 10 agreement signed with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and that “no new offensive operations are planned.”
On Monday, the Internal Security Forces had closed nearly all roads leading to the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighbourhoods, leaving only one open. Checkpoints around the area have reportedly continued to restrict civilian movement in and out of both districts.
Read more: Government Forces Block Roads to Kurdish Neighborhoods in Aleppo
Following the agreement reached between Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, and Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria’s interim president, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces units withdrew from the Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhoods. Under the deal, control of checkpoints in the area was divided between the Asayish (Kurdish-led internal security forces) and the government’s forces.
In recent weeks, however, the neighbourhoods have witnessed growing tensions, alongside repeated violations of the agreement in parts of Aleppo’s countryside; including in Deir Hafer, where government forces reportedly targeted SDF patrols and civilian homes.
