NewsLast Kurdish-led SDF fighters leave Syria’s Aleppo after days of clashesAleppo governor says last SDF fighters have left the city after the Syrian army took control of the Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood.
## Syrian Democratic Forces Withdraw from Aleppo
Syrian Democratic Forces Withdraw from Aleppo
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have completed their withdrawal from the city of Aleppo, according to official sources. This follows a ceasefire agreement that facilitated the evacuation after several days of intense conflict in Syria's second-largest city.
SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi announced that an agreement was reached through international mediation, ensuring a ceasefire and the safe evacuation of civilians and fighters. The evacuation included the removal of the deceased, the wounded, and stranded individuals from the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods to northern and eastern Syria.
Abdi emphasized the importance of adherence to the agreement by mediators to halt violations and facilitate the safe return of displaced individuals to their homes.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have completed their withdrawal from the city of Aleppo, according to official sources.
The Syrian army has taken control of the Kurdish-majority neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsoud after negotiations to integrate the SDF into the national army were unsuccessful. This resulted in at least 30 casualties and the displacement of over 150,000 individuals.
The conflict in Aleppo initiated on Tuesday in predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods, including Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and Bani Zaid. This was due to tensions arising from the failure to implement a March 2025 agreement aimed at integrating Kurdish forces into state institutions. The deadline for this agreement expired at the end of the previous year, with the SDF declining to relinquish control of areas under their administration since the early stages of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
The SDF, comprising an estimated 50,000 to 90,000 fighters, primarily operates in northeastern Syria, controlling nearly a quarter of the country's territory. The recent events in Aleppo have raised doubts about the feasibility of integrating the SDF under Damascus's control, with several unresolved issues potentially hindering disarmament and integration efforts. The SDF seeks to maintain autonomy and governance in northeastern Syria, complicating future negotiations.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
