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The Syrian defense ministry declared a truce in Aleppo on Friday, following several days of violent confrontations between the military and Kurdish forces that led to numerous civilians evacuating the area.

Twenty-one individuals lost their lives due to the violence, marking another obstacle for a nation still trying to establish a new direction following the removal of long-time leader Bashar al-Assad by Islamist authorities more than a year ago.

Starting from Tuesday, military units have been engaged in combat with the US-supported Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Aleppo, the nation’s second-largest city.

Each side has accused the other of initiating the conflict, as they face challenges in executing an agreement to integrate the Kurds’ administration and armed forces into the nation’s new government.

The SDF holds large areas of Syria’s oil-rich northern and northeastern regions, and played a crucial role in the territorial defeat of the Islamic State group in Syria in 2019.

“To avoid any movement toward a new military confrontation in residential areas, the Ministry of Defence has declared a ceasefire near the Sheikh Maqsud, Ashrafiyeh, and Bani Zeid neighborhoods in Aleppo, starting at 3:00 am,” the ministry stated in a release.

Kurdish militants were granted until 9:00 am on Friday (0600 GMT) to vacate those regions, while the Aleppo governorate stated that Kurdish fighters would be relocated, along with their small arms, to Kurdish territories located further east.

The purpose of the truce is to enable people who were forced to leave their homes due to the conflict to “return and restart their everyday lives in a safe and stable environment,” according to the defense ministry.

The leader of Aleppo, Azzam al-Gharib, stated to the official SANA news agency that he had reviewed the security measures in the Ashrafiyeh area.

No immediate reaction was received from Kurdish forces to the government’s statements.

The United States acknowledged the ceasefire through a statement on X from its representative Tom Barrack.

He mentioned that Washington desired “a more lasting peace and greater conversation” and was “actively striving to prolong this truce and atmosphere of mutual understanding.”

– ‘Opposition to war’ –

An AFP reporter mentioned intense combat in the Kurdish-majority Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsud areas throughout Thursday night.

The Syrian armed forces had directed residents in those areas to evacuate via humanitarian routes before commencing the operation.

State-run television stated that approximately 16,000 individuals had left the area.

“We have experienced very tough times… my children were scared,” said Rana Issa, 43, whose family left Ashrafiyeh earlier on Thursday.

“Many people wish to depart,” but they are fearful of the snipers, she said to AFP.

Mazloum Abdi, the leader of the SDF, stated that strikes against Kurdish regions “harm the prospects of achieving agreements,” following his recent trip to Damascus for discussions regarding the March integration pact.

The deal was supposed to be put into action last year, yet disagreements, such as Kurdish calls for a more autonomous administration, have slowed things down.

Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh continue to be held by Kurdish forces associated with the SDF, even though Kurdish combatants had previously consented to leave these regions in April.

Turkey, which has a 900-kilometre (550-mile) border with Syria, has conducted multiple operations to drive Kurdish troops away from the border.

Aron Lund, a researcher at the Century International research center, stated to AFP that “Aleppo is the SDF’s most vulnerable region.”

“Each side continues to exert pressure on the other and seek global backing,” he stated.

He cautioned that if the fighting escalates, “a complete Damascus-SDF conflict throughout northern Syria, possibly involving Turkish and Israeli forces, could severely impact Syria’s stability.”

Israel and Turkey have been competing for power in Syria since Assad’s fall in December 2024.

In Qamishli, located in the Kurdish-controlled northeast, hundreds of individuals have demonstrated against the violence in Aleppo.

We urge the international community to step in,” stated protester Salaheddin Sheikhmous, 61, as others displayed signs that said “against war” and “against ethnic cleansing.

In Turkey, hundreds of individuals participated in demonstrations in Diyarbakir, a region with a significant Kurdish population.

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