ALEPPO, Syria — The final Kurdish fighters withdrew from the Syrian city of Aleppo early Sunday following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement brokered through international mediation.
Mazloum Abdi, leader of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said the deal secured the safe evacuation of fighters, wounded individuals, and civilians trapped in the city.
Local media reported buses carrying the remaining SDF members departing the predominantly Kurdish Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood.
The clashes erupted earlier this week after negotiations to integrate Kurdish forces into Syria’s new government stalled.
At least 12 people were killed, and tens of thousands of civilians were displaced after fleeing Sheikh Maqsoud and the nearby Ashrafieh district.
Syrian government forces shelled the neighborhoods on Wednesday after declaring them “closed military areas,” citing alleged attacks by armed groups.
The SDF, which denies maintaining a military presence in Aleppo, condemned the move as a “criminal attempt” to forcibly displace residents.
A previous ceasefire earlier in the week collapsed after Kurdish forces refused to withdraw from Sheikh Maqsoud.
In March 2025, the SDF—controlling much of northeastern Syria and fielding tens of thousands of fighters—signed an agreement to integrate military and civilian institutions into the Syrian state. Nearly a year later, implementation remains stalled, with both sides accusing the other of undermining talks.
The latest ceasefire was mediated by the United States and other international actors amid concerns the standoff could draw in Turkey, which backs the Syrian government and designates the Kurdish militia dominant within the SDF as a terrorist organization.
On Saturday, Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, said he met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and urged all parties to “exercise maximum restraint, immediately cease hostilities, and return to dialogue” in line with the March agreement. He added that Washington welcomed Syria’s “historic transition” and would support efforts to stabilize the country. — Agencies
