Aleppo Clashes Syrian Forces SDF 2026: 140,000 Displaced Amid Bloody Standoff

The guns have fallen silent, but the scars are deep. As of January 11, 2026, residents are tentatively returning to the ravaged neighborhoods of Aleppo after days of intense fighting between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The clashes have left at least 23 people dead and forced more than 140,000 to flee their homes.

The Roots of the Aleppo Clashes Syrian Forces SDF 2026 Conflict

Violence erupted last Tuesday when negotiations regarding the integration of the SDF into the national army hit a deadlock. This confrontation marks the most severe violence since the fall of Bashar Assad in December 2024. Government troops have since managed to seize control of the Achrafieh and Bani Zaid districts, pushing Kurdish fighters toward the northeastern regions of the country.

A Devastated Landscape and Humanitarian Crisis

First responders from the Syrian Red Crescent and Civil Defense are now working to clear rubble and disarm improvised mines left behind. The Khalid al-Fajer Hospital lies in ruins, with the SDF accusing the government of targeted strikes, while Damascus claims the facility was used for military purposes. Residents describe a "night of horror," and many remain unable to return until the area is deemed safe from explosives.