Deadly new clashes have erupted in Aleppo, northern Syria, between government forces and Kurdish fighters, ending several months of relative calm in the city.
The fighting began in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, where exchanges of heavy weapons fire and shelling were reported. According to local sources and conflict monitoring organizations, at least a dozen people were killed and several dozen wounded, including civilians.
The Syrian army claims to have responded to attacks by Kurdish armed groups and to have targeted positions it describes as military. For their part, the Kurdish forces accuse Damascus of violating previous agreements and launching an offensive aimed at regaining full control of these strategic districts.
Faced with escalating fighting, Syrian authorities announced the opening of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to leave the affected areas. Thousands of residents have reportedly fled the northern districts of the city to seek refuge in safer areas, while several schools and public services have been closed.
This resurgence of violence comes as discussions between the Syrian government and Kurdish leaders on integrating Kurdish forces into the national army have stalled. Despite announcements of agreements in recent months, their implementation remains limited, fueling mistrust between the two sides.
Aleppo, the country's former economic capital, had been largely spared from fighting in recent years after being recaptured by the government in 2016. However, the resumption of clashes underlines the persistent fragility of the security situation in Syria, more than a decade after the start of the conflict.
Observers fear that this escalation could further compromise the country's stabilization efforts and cause further suffering for a population already ravaged by years of war.
