Residents have begun returning to a disputed neighborhood in Aleppo, Syria’s northern city, following recent clashes between government forces and Kurdish-led groups. Emergency responders have entered the area to assist residents, clear debris, and remove mines.
The conflict erupted last Tuesday in predominantly Kurdish areas like Sheikh Maqsoud, Achrafieh, and Bani Zaid after disagreements between the government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the primary Kurdish-led faction in the nation, on integrating the SDF into the national army. Subsequently, security forces have seized control of Achrafieh and Bani Zaid.
These clashes marked the fiercest fighting since the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad by rebels in December 2024. The violence resulted in the deaths of at least 23 individuals over five days, with more than 140,000 people displaced due to artillery fire and drone attacks.
Kurdish fighters have withdrawn from Sheikh Maqsoud to northeastern Syria, which is under SDF jurisdiction. However, they have vowed to continue fighting once the injured and civilians have been evacuated, deeming it a “partial ceasefire.”
On Sunday, the neighborhood appeared tranquil. Government security forces escorted journalists to survey the heavily damaged area, including the Khalid al-Fajer Hospital and an SDF security forces outpost targeted by government troops.
While the SDF accused the government of repeatedly striking the hospital before evacuations, Damascus alleged that the Kurdish-led group had repurposed civilian structures like hospitals for military use.
During the tour, Syrian Red Crescent responders engaged with a resident amid wrecked vehicles and severely damaged homes. Some residents reported difficulties leaving the area as SDF checkpoints restricted their movement.
Syrian Civil Defense teams have been working to dismantle improvised mines left by Kurdish forces as precautionary measures. Displaced residents are barred from returning until all mines are cleared, evoking memories of past displacements during Syria’s protracted civil war.
Expressing a strong desire to return home, one resident, Hoda Alnasiri, pleaded, “I want to go back to my home, I beg you.”
