SDF Says Ceasefire Reached and Forces to Withdraw From Kurdish Districts of Aleppo

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Mazloum Abdi, the general commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, said Sunday that an agreement had been reached to implement a ceasefire and to evacuate Kurdish fighters, wounded individuals, and besieged civilians from the Aleppo neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh to areas under the administration of North and East Syria, following days of intense fighting in the city.

In a statement posted on the social media platform X on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, Abdi said the understanding was reached through mediation by international parties and was aimed at halting attacks and protecting civilians. He described the agreement as a necessary step after five days of urban combat in the Kurdish-majority districts.

“After much effort and with the mediation of international parties for the purpose of halting attacks on the people of Aleppo, they have reached an understanding,” Abdi wrote. He added that the agreement provides for the transfer of those killed, the wounded, besieged civilians, and fighters out of the neighborhoods.

Abdi called on the mediating parties to ensure that the terms of the agreement are implemented, urging them to prevent violations and to facilitate conditions that would allow displaced residents to return to their homes and properties. He did not specify the identities of the mediators or provide a timeline for the transfers.

The announcement coincided with reports from Syrian state media and confirmation from fighters on the ground that Kurdish forces had agreed to withdraw from the contested areas. Agence France-Presse reported that Kurdish fighters confirmed on Sunday that they would leave Aleppo under the ceasefire arrangement.

Earlier in the day, Syrian state television said that the military had concluded its operations in Sheikh Maqsud and that Kurdish fighters who surrendered were being transported by bus toward northern Syria. An AFP correspondent reported witnessing at least five buses carrying men out of the neighborhood on Saturday, escorted by Syrian security forces. According to Syrian state media, the convoys were heading toward northeastern Syria.

The Syrian military had previously announced that it had taken control of Ashrafiyeh, the other major Kurdish-held enclave in Aleppo. Together, the developments marked a decisive change in the status of the two districts, where Kurdish forces had maintained a presence and a form of autonomous administration during much of the 14-year conflict.

The ceasefire followed a week of heavy fighting that Abdi described as involving an attack by the Syrian Arab Army using heavy weapons and large numbers of troops. In his statement, he said local security forces in Aleppo attempted to defend the neighborhoods with limited personnel.

The clashes triggered large-scale displacement. Aleppo Governor Azam al-Gharib said that approximately 155,000 people had fled their homes as a result of the violence. Similar figures were reported by the Barzani Charity Foundation, which documented the displacement of more than 27,000 families to areas including Afrin amid harsh winter conditions.

The Barzani Charity Foundation said in a daily report that most of the displaced families moved to the Afrin district and its surrounding villages and sub-districts, placing pressure on shelter capacity and basic services. The report cited cold weather, incomplete shelter, and shortages of winter necessities as key vulnerabilities affecting displaced populations.

Casualties were also reported during the fighting. According to available reports, at least 23 civilians were killed and nearly 100 others wounded. Medical infrastructure in the affected neighborhoods was significantly damaged. The Khalid Fajr Hospital in Sheikh Maqsud was rendered out of service after being struck multiple times, an incident condemned by the Autonomous Administration’s Health Authority, which described the strikes as a war crime.

International diplomatic pressure intensified as the fighting escalated. On Saturday, the European Union called for an immediate end to hostilities in and around Aleppo and emphasized the need to protect civilians. “The European Union calls for an end to the hostilities in and around Aleppo, stressing the importance of protecting civilians at all times,” an EU spokesperson said.

The United States also engaged directly with Syrian leadership. U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on Saturday. According to statements following the meeting, Barrack conveyed messages from President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning that continued violence in Aleppo could undermine the country’s political transition following the fall of the Assad government.

Barrack reaffirmed U.S. support for the March 2025 integration agreement between Damascus and the SDF, which outlines a framework for incorporating SDF forces into national institutions while addressing Kurdish rights. He urged all parties to return to the terms of that agreement and warned that escalation risked inviting external interference.

Despite the ceasefire, conditions on the ground remained tense. AFP reported that Syrian security forces were seen separating young men from crowds of people leaving the neighborhoods. One official told the news agency that the individuals were fighters being transferred to detention centers.

Civilians expressed uncertainty and concern about the fate of those left behind. Nahed Mohammad Qassab, a 40-year-old resident, told AFP that she was desperate to return to her home to retrieve family members trapped inside. “My three children are still inside,” she said.

In his statement, Abdi praised what he described as the resistance of fighters and residents in Sheikh Maqsud and Ashrafiyeh and offered condolences to the families of those killed. He said the decision to withdraw was taken to preserve civilian lives amid continued attacks.

The transfer of Kurdish forces and civilians to northeastern Syria represents a significant reduction of the SDF’s presence in Aleppo, a city that has been a strategic and symbolic center throughout the conflict. Syrian government forces, meanwhile, appear to be consolidating control over the city following the cessation of hostilities.

While the agreement halted active fighting in the two neighborhoods, the longer-term implications for displaced residents and for governance arrangements in Aleppo remained unclear. Abdi emphasized the need for guarantees from mediating parties to prevent further violations and to allow displaced families to return safely, but no details were provided on mechanisms to ensure those outcomes.