The United States has issued a strong call for the Syrian government and Kurdish authorities to restart negotiations. This appeal comes after several days of intense and deadly fighting in the northern city of Aleppo, which has resulted in significant civilian casualties and displacement.
Confusion and Evacuations in Aleppo
On Saturday, conflicting reports emerged from Aleppo regarding the status of the fighting and evacuations. Syrian authorities announced a ceasefire and stated they had begun transferring Kurdish fighters out of the city's Sheikh Maqsud district. However, Kurdish forces quickly denied these claims, calling them false.
An AFP correspondent witnessed at least five buses, escorted by security forces, carrying men out of the Kurdish-majority neighbourhood. While officials labelled them as fighters, Kurdish representatives insisted they were "civilians who were forcibly displaced." The identities of those on the buses could not be independently verified.
Another correspondent saw at least six empty buses enter and leave the area, where a relative calm had settled. The violence, which represents some of the worst since Syria's new Islamist authorities took power, erupted after efforts to integrate the Kurdish autonomous administration into the national government stalled.
Human Cost and Diplomatic Push
The human toll of the clashes is severe. According to figures from both sides, at least 21 civilians have been killed since the fighting began on Tuesday. Aleppo's governor reported that a staggering 155,000 people have been displaced by the violence.
The US diplomatic push was led by envoy Tom Barrack, who met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Saturday. Following the meeting, Barrack called for a "return to dialogue" with the Kurds, referencing an integration agreement sealed the previous year.
Syrian state television reported that surrendered Kurdish fighters were bused to the city of Tabaqa in the northeast. A military statement announced a halt to operations in Sheikh Maqsud. A security source told AFP the last fighters had entrenched themselves at al-Razi hospital before evacuation.
Claims, Counterclaims, and Regional Reactions
Kurdish forces vehemently disputed the government's narrative. In a statement, they said reports of fighter transfers were "entirely false" and accused authorities of abducting young civilians and taking them to an unknown location.
On the ground, an AFP correspondent described a scene of distress as families fled Sheikh Maqsud. Men carried children, women wept, and dozens of young men in civilian clothes were separated, made to sit heads down, and bused away. Residents like 60-year-old Imad al-Ahmad waited anxiously for permission to return home, unsure of what they would find.
The conflict has drawn reactions beyond Syria's borders. In neighbouring Iraq's Kurdistan region, thousands gathered to protest Damascus's actions in Aleppo, chanting slogans of solidarity. The clashes cast doubt on the Syrian government's ability to unify the country after years of civil war, challenging its commitment to protecting minorities.
Elham Ahmad, a senior Kurdish official, accused Syrian authorities of "choosing the path of war" and seeking to undermine previous agreements. Analysts note that differences over Kurdish demands for decentralised rule have stymied the implementation of the March integration pact, with Damascus repeatedly rejecting the idea.
