The last fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces withdrew from Aleppo on Sunday following days of intense clashes and a negotiated ceasefire that allowed evacuations from contested neighborhoods.
Syrian authorities said the withdrawal marked the end of SDF presence in the city, bringing relative calm after violence that killed at least 30 people and displaced more than 140,000 residents.
The fighting centered on the predominantly Kurdish districts of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and Bani Zaid, where tensions escalated after talks to integrate the SDF into national institutions collapsed.
Officials said Syrian army units entered Sheikh Maqsoud after the evacuation, consolidating state control over areas long held by Kurdish forces.
The ceasefire was reached through international mediation and provided for the evacuation of civilians, wounded individuals, and fighters to northern and eastern Syria.
SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said the agreement ensured the safe removal of those stranded in the affected neighborhoods.
Residents were seen leaving on foot or by bus, while Syrian forces conducted searches for detainees taken during the fall of the previous government.
State media reported that some individuals surrendered during the operation, though Kurdish officials said those evacuated were civilians.
Syrian officials said security conditions in the evacuated districts were steadily improving as government forces secured the area.
The Aleppo clashes underscored unresolved tensions over the future of the SDF within Syria’s political and military structure.
The fighting followed a failure to implement a March 2025 agreement aimed at reintegrating Kurdish forces into state institutions.
Although active combat in Aleppo has ended, analysts and officials warned that the underlying dispute remains unresolved.
The Syrian army said it had reinforced positions east of Aleppo and was preparing for multiple scenarios.
The United States played a key role in brokering the ceasefire, leveraging its ties with both the SDF and the Syrian government.
Regional actors including Turkey were drawn into accusations over the fighting, which both Ankara and Damascus denied.
The withdrawal removes Kurdish forces from Aleppo but leaves broader questions over national unity and governance unanswered.