Syrian Army Announces Halt to Military Operations in Sheikh Maqsud, Outlines Withdrawal and Handover Plan
The Syrian army said it will halt operations in Sheikh Maqsud at 3:00 p.m., relocate SDF fighters from Yassin Hospital, and hand over facilities. The move follows days of clashes, civilian casualties, and warnings over attacks on hospitals.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Syrian Arab Army’s Operations Authority announced a halt to all military operations inside Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsud neighborhood, declaring that combat activities would cease starting at 3:00 p.m., as officials outlined a plan for withdrawal, relocation of fighters, and the handover of public facilities.
In a statement issued by the Operations Authority, the army said it would end all military actions within Sheikh Maqsud and proceed with relocating SDF fighters entrenched inside Yassin Hospital toward the city of Tabqa, with their weapons withdrawn. The statement added that the army would begin handing over all health and government facilities to state institutions, followed by a gradual withdrawal of forces from the streets of Sheikh Maqsud.
Speaking at a press conference on the latest developments in the Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods, Aleppo Governor Azam al-Gharib said the government’s patience had been met with what he described as continuous targeting of Internal Security points by the SDF.
Al-Gharib said authorities had received one hundred fifty-five thousand displaced residents from Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh and announced the formation of a central Aleppo response committee comprising the Directorates of Health, Social Affairs and Labor, and International Cooperation. He said the primary objective of the security forces’ movements was the safety of civilians.
The announcement comes after five consecutive days of intense fighting in Sheikh Maqsud, during which the Internal Security Forces in Aleppo said violent street clashes continued amid what they described as escalating threats to civilians and medical facilities.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Aleppo Media Center of the Internal Security Forces said Asayish fighters had been engaged in what it described as “heroic resistance” against attacks by militias affiliated with the Damascus government. According to the statement, two armored vehicles belonging to the attacking forces were destroyed during close-quarters, street-by-street fighting as Asayish units repelled repeated attempts at advance and infiltration.
The Internal Security Forces warned that Khaled Fajr Hospital had been deliberately targeted despite being filled with wounded civilians, describing the repeated shelling as a dangerous step that threatened the lives of civilians and medical staff.
They also categorically rejected allegations by Damascus government militias that tunnels existed beneath Khaled Fajr Hospital and that fighting was taking place inside them. “We reject this claim entirely and in full,” the statement said, calling the allegations an attempt to distort facts and justify crimes against wounded civilians, women, and children. The forces called on independent international human rights committees to visit the hospital and assess conditions directly.
According to the Internal Security Forces, Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh—neighborhoods with a predominantly Kurdish population—remain under the control of the Autonomous Administration. The current escalation was described as an extension of clashes that began in late December 2025.
Despite a ceasefire announced on Dec. 22, 2025, the Internal Security Forces accused Damascus of violating the truce and said the government relied on internationally sanctioned militia groups, including “Amshat” and “Hamzat,” to attack the neighborhoods.
Figures cited by the Internal Security Forces said the recent attacks resulted in the deaths of nearly fifty civilians, dozens of injuries, and significant damage to close to three hundred homes and several service facilities. The humanitarian situation was described as severe, with residents facing a security and humanitarian siege alongside electricity and internet cuts.
As Damascus announces a halt to operations and outlines withdrawal steps, the situation in Sheikh Maqsud remains fragile, with the latest declarations standing against days of intense fighting, disputed claims, and mounting humanitarian risks for civilians.
Updated on Jan. 10, 2025, at 3:25 pm, The Syrian Arab Army’s Operations Authority announcement has been add.