December 2025 Aleppo clashes

10 March agreement

During the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Turkey and its affiliated militant group, the Syrian National Army, launched various offensives against Kurdish-controlled areas east of the Euphrates. Following months of fighting, which stalled near the Tishrin Dam, and an SDF counteroffensive in December 2024, SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and Syrian transitional government leader Ahmed al-Sharaa signed the U.S.-backed 10 March agreement,^[e] which implemented a country-wide ceasefire and laid out principles for the integration of the DAANES into the new Syrian government.^[9][10][11] It envisaged equal representation for minorities in the political process and proposed integrating the SDF's military and civilian structures into the new Syrian state, while allowing the SDF to retain de facto control over border posts and oil fields in Kurdish areas.^[12] A follow-up agreement in April, which was reportedly also brokered with American involvement, established a joint security framework for the Kurdish enclaves in Sheikh Maqsood and al-Ashrafiyah, Aleppo. The neighborhoods remained under the control of the Asayish and several smaller Aleppo-based Kurdish groups.^[13]

Delays in implementing the 10 March agreement, with both sides accusing each other of obstruction, along with the cancellation of the SDF–Syria talks in Paris on 25 July and again on 9–10 August, heightened hostilities between the AANES and the Syrian government, which, according to Hawar News Agency and the Institute for the Study of War, was facing increasing Turkish pressure.^{[14][15][16][17]}

Earlier tensions and blockade of SDF-controlled neighborhoods in Aleppo

In the beginning of July 2025, tensions in Aleppo increased when government forces blocked fuel supplies from reaching the Kurdish-majority and SDF-controlled neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and al-Ashrafiyah. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described the blockade as a continuation of "old regime tactics."^[18] In August, Nouri Sheikho, Deputy Head of the General Council of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh, told Kurdistan24 that tensions had risen in recent days following the "Unity of Components" conference in Hasakah.^[19]

Government reinforcements were subsequently regularly deployed to the vicinity of Sheikh Maqsood and al-Ashrafiyah in what was described as a "show-of-force operation" intended to raise fears of a possible field escalation.^[20]

By the beginning of October, Kurdish news outlets reported that the Syrian Army had escalated measures by constructing earthen barriers and blocking roads on the outskirts of Sheikh Maqsood and al-Ashrafiyah, as well as barricading streets and establishing positions inside residential buildings.^[21][22][23] The SOHR confirmed the Syrian army's military buildup near the neighbourhoods.^[24]

Clashes briefly erupted on 5-7 October and resulted in 3 deaths and over 26 injuries.^[25]

Domestic

• Syria: The Ministry of Interior said that the SDF attacked Internal Security Forces checkpoints despite existing agreements, while the Ministry of Defense rejected allegations that government forces had attacked SDF positions, asserting that the SDF had carried out an assault on army and security checkpoints. The clashes coincided with comments from Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Damascus. Al-Shaibani stated that the Syrian government had "seen no serious initiative" from the SDF to implement the 10 March agreement, accusing the group of delaying its integration into state institutions. He added that the government had offered a proposal to the SDF to allow flexibility, received their response the previous day, and that the Ministry of Defense was currently reviewing it, warning that any delay by the SDF in integrating with the Syrian army could negatively affect stability in eastern Syria.^[31]

• SDF / DAANES: Following mutual accusations over the shelling, the SDF denied claims by "Damascus-affiliated security and military agencies" that their units had targeted neighborhoods in Aleppo. The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration issued a counter-statement accusing Syrian government forces of attacking the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods in Aleppo, claiming that the aim was to undermine efforts toward a comprehensive political solution addressing the aspirations of all Syrians.^[31]

International

• Turkey: During the joint press conference in Damascus, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized the importance of integrating the SDF into the Syrian administration in a transparent manner. He warned that any further delays could threaten the unity and stability of Syria's territory. Fidan noted that the SDF appeared unwilling to implement its integration into the Syrian armed forces before the end-of-year deadline, cautioning that Ankara's patience was running thin. He stressed that Turkey hopes to avoid military action, but added that continued procrastination could alter the current situation. Fidan also claimed that some SDF operations were being coordinated with Israel, describing this as a major obstacle to ongoing negotiations with the Syrian government.^[32]

• Egypt: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement calling for de-escalation, an end to violence, and the protection of civilians, while emphasizing the importance of preserving Syria's security and territorial integrity. The statement expressed deep concern over the rapid escalation of clashes in northern Syria, particularly in Aleppo, and the accompanying acts of violence that endanger civilians and threaten the country's stability. Egypt stressed that a sustainable resolution to the Syrian crisis requires a comprehensive political process based on dialogue, taking into account the interests of all segments of the Syrian population within the framework of the national state and its institutions.^[33]