Clashes in Syria’s Aleppo Kill Two Civilians as Government and SDF Trade Blame

Clashes in Syria’s Aleppo city killed two civilians and injured others, with Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led SDF blaming each other for the violence. Both sides later ordered a halt to hostilities. The fighting followed criticism from Turkey, which accused the SDF of undermining Syria’s stability and warned against its continued refusal to integrate into the Syrian army.

A series of violent clashes broke out in the Syrian city of Aleppo, leaving two civilians dead and several others injured, according to local reports. The fighting triggered renewed tensions in the already fragile security environment of the city, with uncertainty surrounding the immediate cause of the confrontations.
Responsibility for the deaths quickly became a point of contention, as both Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) traded accusations. Syria’s state-run news agency SANA, citing the Aleppo health directorate, reported that the two civilians were killed by shelling carried out by the SDF on residential neighborhoods in the city. SANA further quoted the Syrian Defense Ministry as saying the SDF had targeted two areas of Aleppo, leading to civilian casualties.
The SDF strongly rejected these claims, insisting that the bombardment was conducted by armed groups affiliated with the Syrian government and led by Ahmed al-Sharaa. Damascus, however, denied any involvement in such attacks. In addition to denying responsibility, the SDF accused Syrian government forces of opening fire on one of its Kurdish checkpoints, further escalating the exchange of blame between the two sides.
As tensions mounted, efforts were made to prevent the situation from spiraling further out of control. Later on Monday, both the Syrian defense ministry and the SDF announced that they had issued orders to their respective forces to halt hostilities. According to SANA, the defense ministry in Damascus said it had directed its troops to “stop targeting the sources of fire.” The SDF, for its part, stated that it had instructed its fighters to “cease responding to attacks,” signaling a mutual, albeit fragile, de-escalation.
The clashes occurred against the backdrop of heightened regional and diplomatic pressure. Just hours before the violence erupted, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan paid a visit to Damascus, during which he openly criticized the SDF. Fidan accused the group of failing to honor its commitment to integrate its weapons into the Syrian army by the end of the year, a deadline that had been previously agreed upon.
Emphasizing Ankara’s stake in Syria’s future, Fidan said that Syria’s stability was directly linked to Turkey’s own security and well-being. He urged the SDF to stop what he described as actions that hinder Syria’s path toward stability, unity, and economic recovery, warning that continued obstruction could have serious consequences.
The SDF controls large swathes of northeastern Syria and receives backing from the United States, but it remains a major point of contention for Turkey. Ankara considers the group a terrorist organization due to its ties with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged a long-running insurgency against the Turkish state. Turkey has repeatedly threatened to carry out military operations against the SDF, citing national security concerns.
Turkey has also played a significant role in shaping international policy toward Syria in recent months. It was among the countries that pressed US President Donald Trump to lift sanctions on Damascus. Following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, Turkey’s military resumed training programs for Syrian army soldiers and officers, underscoring Ankara’s growing influence in Syria’s post-Assad landscape and the complex dynamics surrounding armed groups like the SDF.