Syrian defense authorities and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced an immediate ceasefire Tuesday, halting intense clashes in Aleppo that threatened to unravel a fragile March peace agreement. The breakthrough followed a high-stakes meeting in Damascus between Syria’s chief of defense authorities, Marhaf Abu Qasra, and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi.
The truce, described as "comprehensive" and covering all frontlines in northern and northeastern Syria, comes after pro-government forces surrounded Kurdish-held neighborhoods in Aleppo earlier in the day. Defense authorities reported one security officer killed and multiple injuries during the fighting, which involved heavy weaponry described by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as the "most serious escalation" in months.
While Damascus claimed the military movements aimed to "secure strategic points" following alleged SDF attacks on civilians and security personnel, the Kurdish-led group denied initiating hostilities. SDF representatives accused government-aligned forces of imposing a "suffocating siege" and provoking the confrontation.
Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib urged calm, telling residents via state media: "We’re working to ensure this is the last night the city hears clashes." Both sides reaffirmed commitment to the March 10 agreement, which had previously stabilized tensions in Syria’s resource-rich northeast.
The swift diplomatic resolution highlights the complex balance of power in Syria’s decade-long conflict, where regional stability remains intertwined with shifting alliances and security priorities.
