Last SDF fighters leave Syria's Aleppo, Ekhbariya TV reports
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Syrian Forces Seize Aleppo Areas After Kurdish Withdrawal
Did Syrian forces restore order after SDF attacks, or did Kurdish forces defend against a heavy Syrian military assault?
Above: Buses wait to enter Aleppo's Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood to evacuate members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Jan. 9. Image credit: Bakr ALkasem/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Government-critical narrative
The SDF valiantly defended Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh from a jihadi onslaught. The Syrian army committed serious war crimes in Aleppo's Kurdish neighborhoods, striking hospitals before forcing over 140,000 civilians to flee. Once it was clear that no one would come to help Kurdish civilians, the SDF decided to withdraw. International mediators must ensure Damascus honors the March 2025 integration agreement instead of launching heinous attacks on Kurdish civilians.
Pro-government narrative
Syrian forces acted to restore order after SDF attacks killed 23 civilians and injured over 100 with Iranian-made drones targeting residential areas and government buildings. After the SDF's collapse in Aleppo, it cut off Aleppo's main water supply at Babiri station, a cowardly act of aggression. Nonetheless, the government has no interest in revenge and is working to return displaced residents to their homes as safely as possible.
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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0