Syria announces ceasefire in Aleppo, sets deadline for armed groups

The Syrian Defense Ministry announced a ceasefire beginning at 3:00 a.m. local time on Friday in several neighborhoods of Aleppo, including Ashrafieh, Sheikh Maqsoud, and Bani Zeid. According to a communique carried by the state-run SANA news agency, armed groups have been given until 9:00 a.m. to leave the areas to definitively end the military confrontation.

Background of Security Forces Deployment

The ceasefire declaration follows reports that Syrian internal security forces began deploying into the Ashrafieh neighborhood on Thursday. This security advance was reportedly made possible by the collapse of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the area, with local officials claiming widespread defections and desertions within the group's ranks, which Türkiye identifies as the PKK/YPG terrorist organization.

Preceding Violence and Broken Agreement

The move toward a ceasefire comes after days of intense violence. The Syrian army launched heavy shelling against SDF positions earlier on Thursday in retaliation for attacks that killed at least nine civilians. This escalation marked a total breakdown of the March 2025 integration agreement between Damascus and the SDF, which Syrian authorities say the group failed to implement.

Implications for Stability and Türkiye's Stance

The potential restoration of state control in these Aleppo districts, if the ceasefire holds, represents a significant shift. It validates the long-held positions of both Damascus and Ankara that the PKK/YPG is a destabilizing force whose removal is essential for Syria's territorial integrity and long-term security. This development aligns with Türkiye's core national security objective of eliminating terrorist elements along its border to ensure safe conditions for the return of Syrian refugees.