Syrian Army Bombards Kurdish Positions As Clashes Rage In Aleppo | Video

Last Updated:January 08, 2026, 23:45 IST

Syrian forces bombarded Kurdish-majority Aleppo for a third day, displacing 16000, killing 17, and straining SDF-Damascus talks amid Turkey and Israel’s rising involvement.

Syrian army shelling Kurdish postions in Allepo. (Al Jazeera)

Syrian government forces on Thursday intensified bombardment of Kurdish-majority neighbourhoods in Aleppo for a third consecutive day, as Kurdish leaders warned that the escalating violence was undermining fragile talks with Damascus on political and military integration.

The fighting, the worst seen in Aleppo since Syria’s Islamist-led authorities came to power, erupted earlier this week after disputes over the implementation of a deal to merge the Kurdish administration and armed forces in the northeast into the new Syrian state. Both the government and Kurdish forces have traded accusations over who triggered the clashes.

Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a military source, said the army launched “intense and concentrated bombardment" on positions held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh districts. Government shelling resumed after an afternoon deadline for civilians to evacuate expired.

According to state television, about 16,000 people fled the two neighbourhoods on Thursday alone, while at least 17 people have been killed over three days of fighting, based on figures from both government and Kurdish sources. Civilians were seen leaving through designated corridors as soldiers searched men attempting to cross.

“We’ve gone through very difficult times… my children were terrified," said Rana Issa, 43, who fled Ashrafiyeh under sniper fire. “Many people want to leave, but they’re afraid of the shooters," she told AFP.

The clashes have disrupted daily life across the city. Flights at Aleppo airport were suspended until late Friday, while shops, universities and schools remained closed, AFP correspondents reported.

SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said attacks on Kurdish areas during negotiations with Damascus were eroding trust. “These attacks during the negotiation process undermine the chances of reaching understandings," he said. Abdi had travelled to Damascus on Sunday for further talks on the March agreement to integrate his forces, but Syrian media said the discussions ended without progress.

The violence has also highlighted growing regional tensions. Turkey, a close ally of Syria’s new authorities, said it was prepared to support Damascus militarily if requested. A Turkish defence ministry official said Ankara was ready to provide “necessary support," while Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey was holding intensive consultations with Syria and the United States, blaming the deadlock on what he called the SDF’s uncompromising stance.

Neighbouring Israel, meanwhile, condemned the bombardment. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the attacks on Kurdish communities as “grave and dangerous." Israel and Syria are currently holding talks aimed at a security agreement and have agreed to establish an intelligence-sharing mechanism. Israel previously bombed Syrian government forces in July during clashes involving the Druze minority in southern Syria.

The European Union voiced “great concern" ahead of a planned visit by senior EU officials to Syria on Friday, urging all sides to exercise restraint, protect civilians and pursue a diplomatic solution.

The SDF controls large parts of Syria’s oil-rich north and northeast and played a central role in defeating the Islamic State group in 2019. Under the March deal, Kurdish forces were to be integrated by the end of 2025, but disagreements including Kurdish demands for decentralised governance have stalled progress. Despite earlier agreements, Kurdish units remain in Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh.

Analyst Aron Lund of the Century International think tank said Aleppo remains the SDF’s most vulnerable position. “This isn’t an all-out conflict yet," he told AFP, adding that both sides are trying to apply pressure and win international backing. However, he warned that a wider confrontation involving Turkey and Israel could be “devastating for Syria’s stability."

Protests against the violence were reported on Thursday in Qamishli, in Syria’s Kurdish-held northeast, where demonstrators called for international intervention and held banners reading “no to war" and “no to ethnic cleansing." Similar protests took place in Diyarbakir, a predominantly Kurdish city in southeastern Turkey, AFP correspondents said.

News world Syrian Army Bombards Kurdish Positions As Clashes Rage In Aleppo | Video

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