100k Flee as Syrian Military and SDF Clashes Engulf Aleppo in 2026

They shook hands on paper, but kept their fingers on the trigger. The fragile peace in post-Assad Syria is shattering as heavy fighting erupted between the national military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). On January 8, 2026, authorities imposed an indefinite curfew on several key neighborhoods in Aleppo as the city becomes the frontline of a new internal power struggle.

Aleppo Curfew: Six Neighborhoods Under Lockdown

The Aleppo Internal Security Command announced that movement is strictly prohibited in districts including Ashrafieh, Sheikh Maqsoud, and Bani Zeid. According to Al Jazeera, more than 100,000 civilians have already fled their homes since clashes intensified earlier this week. The curfew is described as a measure to "ensure resident safety" following the withdrawal of SDF-affiliated groups from certain areas.

The human cost is mounting. At least 22 people have been killed and 173 wounded in Aleppo this week. Hospitals are reportedly struggling as medical workers treat patients under the sound of continuous artillery fire. The Syrian Ministry of Interior claims its units are deploying to protect civilians, while the SDF accuses the government of indiscriminate shelling.

The Faltering 2025 Integration Agreement

The violence signals a major breakdown in the March 2025 agreement intended to integrate the SDF into Syrian state institutions. Talks led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa have faltered, with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi stating that the deployment of tanks in Kurdish neighborhoods undermines any chance of understanding. Analyst Armenak Tokmajyan from the Carnegie Middle East Center notes that reunification cannot be forced; it requires a national framework that armed groups can actually trust.