US 'warmly welcomes' ceasefire in contested Aleppo neighborhoods

The United States has publicly endorsed a fragile truce in the contested northern Syrian city of Aleppo, offering rare praise for a diplomatic breakthrough following intense clashes. U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack stated that Washington "warmly welcomes the temporary ceasefire achieved last night" in the Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods, framing it as a vital pause enabled by cooperation between rival factions.

A 'Critical Pause' and Hope for Extension

Envoy Barrack, writing on social media, credited the ceasefire to the "restraint and goodwill" of the involved parties. He characterized the agreement as an initial but crucial move intended to guide Syria's diverse communities "onto a single shared highway toward security, inclusion, and lasting peace," while acknowledging significant challenges remain. Barrack emphasized that U.S. diplomats are now working intensively to extend the truce beyond its initial 9 a.m. local time deadline and to preserve what he called the "spirit of understanding" that made it possible.

Context of Recent Military Advances and a Failed Agreement

The ceasefire follows days of heavy fighting that saw the Syrian Army retake control of the Ashrafiyeh district from the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces after the group's fighters withdrew. The army's offensive was launched in retaliation for SDF attacks that reportedly killed at least nine civilians. This military action underscores the collapse of a political agreement signed in March 2025, which envisioned the SDF's integration into state institutions to preserve Syria's unity. Damascus has accused the SDF of failing to implement any terms of that accord.

Navigating a Post-Assad Security Landscape

The truce represents a delicate moment in Syria's complex post-war landscape. Since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8, 2024, the new Syrian government has prioritized reasserting state authority nationwide. The situation in Aleppo, where various local and international interests intersect, is a critical test. The U.S. endorsement of the ceasefire, despite its past support for the SDF, suggests a pragmatic shift toward stabilizing areas reclaimed by the central government and preventing a broader urban battle in Syria's largest city.