Maps
Magazine

WORLD NEWS

Syrian Army Seizes Aleppo’s Sheikh Maksoud Amid Kurdish Resistance
Syrian army claims control of Aleppo’s Sheikh Maksoud district after ceasefire fails. Kurdish forces deny full takeover, continue resisting. Over 140,000 civilians displaced.
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-10
Syrian Army Seizes Aleppo’s Sheikh Maksoud Amid Kurdish Resistance

The Syrian army has combed through the Sheikh Maksoud district of Aleppo, signalling that it has seized the area from Kurdish fighters after a temporary ceasefire failed to end days of deadly clashes.

The violence has deepened one of Syria’s main faultlines, with President Ahmed al-Sharaa aiming to unify the country under a single leadership after 14 years of war. Kurdish forces, however, remain wary of the Islamist-led government and have resisted integration into Syria’s new administration, formed by former rebel fighters who ousted Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Earlier in the week, a ceasefire was welcomed by the United States and other global powers. Kurdish forces refused to vacate Sheikh Maksoud, the last district under their control in Aleppo, under the agreement. Late on Friday, the Syrian army announced a ground operation to expel Kurdish fighters, claiming to have finished combing the district by Saturday.

In response, Kurdish forces denied losing Sheikh Maksoud and insisted they were still resisting. Reuters reporters in the city did not hear active clashes at the time.

The takeover of Sheikh Maksoud by government forces would mark the end of Kurdish control over Aleppo, where Kurdish pockets have existed since the outbreak of Syria’s war in 2011. However, Kurdish forces still control large swaths of northeastern Syria, operating a semi-autonomous zone.

The fighting that erupted on Tuesday killed at least nine civilians and displaced over 140,000 people.

The U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, in a statement posted on X, said he met with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi in Amman to consolidate the ceasefire and ensure the “peaceful withdrawal” of Kurdish forces from Aleppo.

The situation remains tense, as Kurdish groups continue to resist integration into Syria’s central government while international efforts aim to prevent further civilian casualties and displacement.
Tagged:

Syria

Aleppo

KurdishForces

SheikhMaksoud
Share News: