Clashes between Syrian forces and Kurdish-led SDF fighters in Aleppo killed at least two civilians on Monday, amid tensions over a stalled military integration deal.
At least two civilians were killed and more than a dozen wounded during clashes in the Syrian city of Aleppo on Monday, December 23, between pro-government security forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The violence flared amid rising tensions over a stalled agreement to integrate the SDF into the Syrian state military.
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A medical source told Al Jazeera that the casualties occurred after SDF forces opened fire on positions of the Syrian security forces. Syria’s Civil Defense reported that two of its rescue workers were injured when their vehicle came under fire, and that two children were wounded in the crossfire, but SDF denied targeting civilian areas.
Dozens of families fled the violence, with state media and local correspondents describing scenes of chaos involving intense machine-gun fire and shelling.
Syria’s Interior Ministry denounced the SDF attack as “treacherous”, while the SDF blamed “government-affiliated factions” for instigating the fighting. A fragile ceasefire was brokered late Monday.
The clashes coincided with a visit to Damascus by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan for high-level talks on the SDF integration process—a major point of regional friction.
Damascus-affillated factions are using tanks and artillery against residential neighborhoods in Aleppo.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) categorically deny the allegations made by the security and military agencies affiliated with the Damascus government which claimed that…
— Syrian Democratic Forces (@SDF_Syria) December 22, 2025
The integration deal, agreed in principle last March between the Government of Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the SDF, has been stalled by key disagreements. A central dispute is whether the SDF’s estimated 50,000 fighters will enter the army as a cohesive unit or be dispersed individually—a structure Türkiye vehemently opposes due to the SDF’s ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara designates as a terrorist group.
With an initial implementation deadline already passed at the end of 2025, diplomatic pressure is mounting. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, standing alongside Fidan, accused the SDF of systematic procrastination and a lack of serious initiative. He stated that a Syrian proposal for military merger is currently “under review” after a response was received from Kurdish officials on Sunday.
While Kurdish sources suggest a preliminary agreement exists to integrate three SDF divisions, no formal confirmation has been made. The Aleppo violence underscores the dangerous fragility of Syria’s unresolved military and political landscape, where stalled negotiations continue to exact a civilian toll.
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