SDF Aleppo Withdrawal 2026: Kurdish Forces Depart After Deadly Clashes

The guns have gone silent in Aleppo, but the peace remains fragile. On January 11, 2026, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) officially completed their withdrawal from the city of Aleppo. According to Al Jazeera, the move follows a US-brokered ceasefire aimed at ending days of intense urban warfare between the Kurdish group and government forces.

Context of the SDF Aleppo Withdrawal 2026

Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib confirmed that the city is now "empty of SDF fighters" after a coordinated overnight evacuation. The clashes, which erupted earlier this week, were triggered by the collapse of a March 2025 agreement designed to integrate the SDF into Syria's national army. When the deadline passed at the end of last year without implementation, tensions over control of neighborhoods like Sheikh Maqsoud boiled over into violence.

The fighting claimed at least 30 lives and forced more than 150,000 people to flee their homes. SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi stated that international mediation was essential to secure the safe passage of the wounded and civilians toward the country's north and east.

The US Role and the Post-Assad Landscape

The United States found itself in a unique position as a mediator. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in 2024, Washington has maintained close ties with interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa while continuing its decade-long partnership with the SDF against ISIL. This dual influence allowed the Trump administration to pull both sides back from the brink of a larger conflict.

However, the underlying friction remains. The SDF still controls nearly 25% of Syrian territory and commands a force of up to 90,000 fighters. Their refusal to cede autonomy in the northeast remains the greatest threat to national unity. While the withdrawal from Aleppo prevents immediate escalation, it makes a full military integration look increasingly unlikely.