Syrian Army and Kurdish Forces Clash in Aleppo, Forcing Over 140,000 to Flee

Syrian Army and Kurdish Forces Clash in Aleppo, Forcing Over 140,000 to Flee A major military escalation between Syrian government forces and Kurdish-led fighters has shattered a fragile calm in Aleppo, triggering a massive civilian exodus and raising fears of a new, devastating front in Syria's long-running war. Intense fighting erupted this week in the northern city, pitting the Syrian Arab Army against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) [44512]. The clashes, concentrated in the Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and Bani Zaid districts, represent the most severe violence in Syria in over six months [45816]. The Syrian government declared a curfew and halted flights at Aleppo's airport as the battles raged [45172]. The violence has forced a rapid and large-scale displacement of civilians. More than 140,000 people have fled their homes under heavy shelling, according to reports following three days of combat [45816]. Local aid groups described thousands of families seeking safety away from the front lines, though exact numbers remain difficult to assess [45585]. The Syrian army distributed maps to civilians showing safe evacuation routes from several neighborhoods, indicating preparations for further military operations [44681]. The direct cause of the latest clashes is disputed, with each side blaming the other for initiating hostilities [44088]. The fighting began after unknown assailants opened fire on SDF checkpoints in Kurdish-majority neighborhoods [32527]. This breakdown follows a stall in political talks aimed at resolving the long-running conflict between the Damascus government and the SDF, which controls large parts of northeastern Syria [45585]. On Thursday, the Syrian government announced a ceasefire in an attempt to halt the violence. The truce, which began in the early morning hours, includes terms for Kurdish fighters to leave the contested Aleppo neighborhoods with safe passage to SDF-controlled northeast Syria [45816]. A U.S. envoy has welcomed the pause in hostilities, but it remains unclear if the agreement will hold [45816]. The situation threatens to unravel relative stability in northern Syria, displacing more families into a region already hosting millions displaced by earlier phases of the war [45588]. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that any major new offensive risks a humanitarian catastrophe [45585]. Syria's Aleppo Truce Shatters, Thousands Flee as U.S. Mediates Aleppo Exodus: Fighting Erupts as Syria Peace Talks Fail Syria Announces Aleppo Ceasefire After Clashes Displace 140,000 Syria's Aleppo: Army Strikes Kurds, Thousands Flee Syrian Army Distributes Evacuation Maps in Aleppo Amid Clashes Clashes Erupt Between Kurdish Forces and Syrian Army in Aleppo