Aleppo city witnessed a relative calm on the evening of Monday, 22 December, after a series of clashes and mutual shelling between the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian army.
Tensions were concentrated around the Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiya neighborhoods and the al-Layramoun and Shayhan roundabouts in the northern part of the city.
The calm coincided with talk of negotiations between the two sides for a ceasefire and to prevent the targeting of civilian areas, following hours of security tension that affected wide swathes of Aleppo.
A military source told Enab Baladi that a temporary de-escalation came into effect about an hour earlier.
The source indicated that this truce aims to reach a final ceasefire agreement, adding that if the talks fail, the military operation will resume.
On its part, the state-run Syrian channel al-Ikhbariya quoted the Media and Communications Directorate in the Ministry of Defense as saying that the army’s General Staff had issued an order to stop targeting SDF firing positions after “neutralizing” a number of them, and to work on narrowing the area of clashes away from residential neighborhoods.
It added that the army had not shown any movement to change lines of control, and had limited its actions to responding to sources of fire.
The Internal Security Forces (Asayish) in Aleppo also announced that they had instructed their forces to stop responding to attacks by what they described as Damascus government factions, in line with ongoing de-escalation contacts.
Suspension of classes and work
Enab Baladi’s correspondent reported that areas close to Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiya, such as the Sheikh Taha neighborhood, in addition to central neighborhoods like al-Jamilia, came under random shelling by Asayish.
Sounds of shelling and gunfire were heard in several neighborhoods, in parallel with the intensive movement of ambulances.
In this context, the Governor of Aleppo, Azzam al-Gharib, announced the temporary suspension of work and classes in all public and private schools and universities, as well as government departments in the center of Aleppo city, on Tuesday, 23 December, due to the current situation.
The decision excluded employees in institutions whose work requires them to continue providing medical care and emergency services.
For his part, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba said in statements to al-Ikhbariya that this was not the first time the SDF had tried to derail the 10 March agreement.
Al-Baba accused the SDF of withdrawing its members from joint checkpoints and opening fire on the army, and of banking on escalating its military tempo and on support from external actors, as he put it.
He also pointed to the targeting of densely populated residential neighborhoods and al-Razi Hospital.
Casualty toll
The Syrian Ministry of Health announced that shelling which targeted a residential area near al-Razi Hospital killed a young man and his mother, and injured eight civilians, including a boy and a girl, in addition to two Civil Defense members.
It confirmed that all the wounded had been evacuated and transported to hospitals.
The ministry noted that the shelling had hit the vicinity of medical facilities, describing this as an act that is legally and morally rejected and condemned.
It also announced that hospitals in Aleppo province had been placed on higher alert, with medical staff mobilized.
SDF holds the government responsible
In turn, the SDF, in a statement, denied accusations by the Syrian government’s security and military agencies that it had targeted Aleppo neighborhoods.
It said its forces had handed over their positions to the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) under the 1 April agreement, holding the Syrian government responsible for what is happening.
The SDF accused the government of “engineering crises over the past four months by besieging Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiya and repeatedly provoking and assaulting civilians despite the signed agreement.”
The statement added that the shelling that hit residential neighborhoods was the result of the activity of what it described as “Damascus government factions”, and pointed to the use of tanks and artillery in shelling Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiya, in an escalation it described as dangerous.
According to the SDF, rocket and tank shelling killed a 57-year-old woman and injured 17 civilians with varying degrees of wounds.
Clashes and trading accusations
Aleppo city saw clashes on Monday, 22 December, in the vicinity of al-Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud, with their echoes reaching other neighborhoods.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent reported hearing the sounds of gunfire and shelling in several neighborhoods, including al-Jamilia in the city center, along with intensive ambulance movement in various areas.
The correspondent noted that all roads leading to al-Layramoun, the Shayhan roundabout, and the Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiya neighborhoods had been closed as part of security measures in the city.
He explained that the road by Al-Rahman Mosque and Tishreen Bridge had been completely closed, with traffic banned in their vicinity until further notice.
The area around the al-Layramoun and Shayhan roundabouts in northern Aleppo saw clashes between the Syrian army and Asayish forces, amid mutual accusations over who initiated the fire.
Al-Ikhbariya reported that SDF snipers had targeted an Internal Security checkpoint near the Shayhan roundabout, noting that gunfire had hit the surrounding area.
SDF Shelling Leaves Dead and Wounded in Aleppo
Aleppo sees relative calm amid ceasefire talks Enab Baladi.
Hence then, the article about aleppo sees relative calm amid ceasefire talks was published today ( ) and is available on ُEnabbaladi ( Syria ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Aleppo sees relative calm amid ceasefire talks )
Also on site :
- I Thought My Daughter Was a Good Kid, but a Certain Habit of Hers Disturbs Me
- The 2025 Billboard K-Pop Artist 100
- Ukrainian investigative journalist ‘kidnapped’ by draft officers