Syria Declares Ceasefire in Aleppo Kurdish Districts

Syrian authorities declared a ceasefire in three Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Aleppo early Friday, halting days of intense clashes between government forces and Kurdish-led militias that displaced thousands of civilians and killed at least four people.

The truce, announced by the Syrian Defense Ministry and effective at 3 a.m. local time, applies to Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and Bani Zeid districts. It follows fighting that erupted Tuesday between the Syrian Army and the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, which controls parts of northern and eastern Syria. The Aleppo security command also imposed a curfew in several Kurdish areas to manage the unrest. Government troops had advanced into SDF-held zones on Thursday, prompting accusations from both sides of provoking the violence.

The clashes intensified Wednesday with heavy shelling, artillery fire, and drone strikes by Syrian forces on the neighborhoods, according to witnesses and local reports. Kurdish fighters responded with ambushes, sniper fire, and machine guns from high-rise buildings. Videos circulating online showed widespread destruction, including damaged residential areas and a hospital. The Syrian Army opened...