Kurdish Forces Complete Withdrawal from Aleppo Following Ceasefire Agreement

The final Kurdish fighters have withdrawn from the Syrian city of Aleppo, after the announcement of a ceasefire deal in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Mazloum Abdi, leader of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), stated that an agreement had been made via international mediation, securing the safe evacuation of 'martyrs, the wounded, the trapped civilians and the fighters' from the city.

Buses carrying the last Kurdish-led SDF members were seen leaving the Kurdish majority neighbourhood of Sheikh Maqsoud, according to local media reports.

The latest clashes in Aleppo began earlier this week after negotiations to integrate the Kurds into Syria's new government reached a stalemate.

At least 12 people were killed in this recent outbreak of violence, displacing tens of thousands of civilians forced to flee Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh.

The Syrian army had shelled the area after declaring the neighbourhoods 'closed military areas' in response to alleged attacks by armed groups.

The Kurdish-led SDF, which insists it has no military presence in Aleppo, called it a 'criminal attempt' to forcibly displace residents.

A ceasefire was proposed earlier in the week, but Kurdish forces initially refused to vacate their last stronghold, Sheikh Maqsoud.

In March 2025, the Kurdish-led SDF signed a deal to integrate all military and civilian institutions into the Syrian state, but accusations of derailing the negotiations have persisted on both sides, leaving the agreement unfulfilled almost a year later.

The most recent ceasefire agreement, mediated by the US and other world powers, emerged from concerns over potential escalation involving Turkey, a supporter of the Syrian government, which views the Kurdish militia as a terrorist organization.

Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey, stated on social media that he had met with the Syrian president and called for maximum restraint and a return to dialogue in line with the March agreement. He expressed support for President Ahmed al-Sharaa's efforts to stabilize the country.