Syrian Army and Kurdish Forces Clash in Aleppo, 140,000 Flee as Ceasefire Collapses

Syrian Army and Kurdish Forces Clash in Aleppo, 140,000 Flee as Ceasefire Collapses Fresh fighting erupted in Syria's Aleppo province between the Syrian army and Kurdish-led forces, shattering a fragile calm and triggering a mass exodus of civilians. The clashes, which began on Tuesday, forced over 140,000 people to flee their homes before a ceasefire was announced three days later [45816]. The violence centered on neighborhoods in Aleppo city, including Sheikh Maqsoud and Al-Ashrafiyah, where Syrian government forces clashed with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) [45585][49667][32527]. The SDF controls large parts of northern and eastern Syria but has resisted integration into the central government in Damascus [44512]. Both sides blamed each other for starting the fighting, which killed at least nine people on January 6 alone [44088]. The Syrian army declared a curfew, closed schools and universities, and halted flights at Aleppo's airport [45172][44088]. State media reported that SDF fighters shelled residential neighborhoods, while the army distributed evacuation maps showing safe routes out of contested areas [44681][43634]. The Syrian government later announced a ceasefire that allowed Kurdish fighters to leave the city with light weapons and receive safe passage to northeast Syria [45816]. The clashes came after political talks to resolve the long-running conflict between Damascus and the Kurdish-led administration stalled [45585]. Turkey's foreign minister publicly urged Kurdish forces to join the Syrian army, setting a deadline for integration [33236]. The United States, which backs the SDF as an ally against the Islamic State group, attempted to mediate a halt to the fighting [44512][43634]. The escalation raises fears of a return to full-scale war in Syria, where the civilian population continues to bear the overwhelming cost of displacement and suffering while multiple foreign powers compete for influence [45173][45172]. The United Nations has warned that any major new offensive risks a humanitarian catastrophe [45585]. Syria's Aleppo Truce Shatters, Thousands Flee as U.S. Mediates Title: Aleppo Exodus: Fighting Erupts as Syria Peace Talks Fail Fresh Clashes Erupt Between Syrian Army and Kurdish Forces Syrian Army and US-Backed Forces Clash in Aleppo Syrian Army Advances on Aleppo, Sparking Mass Exodus Syria Detains, Expels Kurds in Aleppo as US Bombs ISIS Syrian Forces and Kurds Clash, Then Halt Fire After Deadly Fighting Aleppo Clashes Follow Secret Syria-Israel Talks Syrian Army Distributes Evacuation Maps in Aleppo Amid Clashes Deadly Clashes in Aleppo as Turkey Urges Kurdish Integration Syria's Kurds and Army Clash, Risking Major War Syria Announces Aleppo Ceasefire After Clashes Displace 140,000 Syria's Aleppo: Army Strikes Kurds, Thousands Flee Clashes Erupt Between Kurdish Forces and Syrian Army in Aleppo