Intensified clashes in Syria's Aleppo have left at least five civilians dead and forced thousands to flee since January 7, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The violence marks one of 2026's first major humanitarian crises, with critical infrastructure including Zahi Azarak and Ibn Rished hospitals sustaining damage.
Local authorities confirmed schools, government offices, and Aleppo International Airport suspended operations as fighting concentrated in Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh. Two humanitarian corridors through Awared and Zuhour have been opened for civilian evacuations.
"The UN and partners are scaling up assistance to displaced families," stated OCHA, noting many residents sought refuge in Afrin district and central Aleppo. The clashes highlight ongoing tensions between Damascus and U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.
With health facilities partially non-operational and movement restrictions hampering aid delivery, international observers warn of worsening conditions in Syria's second-largest city.
