Syria’s defence ministry announced a ceasefire early Friday in three neighbourhoods of Aleppo following intense clashes between government troops and Kurdish fighters. The move is aimed at stopping the latest round of fighting that has caused deaths, fires, and large-scale displacement in the northern city.

According to the defence ministry, the ceasefire applies to the neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyah, and Bani Zaid. In an official statement, the ministry said, “A ceasefire is to take effect in the vicinity of the Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyah, and Bani Zaid neighbourhoods in the city of Aleppo, starting at 03:00 a.m. after midnight.”

The ministry also called on armed groups to withdraw from these areas, adding, “Armed groups in the neighbourhoods are requested to leave the area starting at 03:00 a.m after midnight. The deadline expires at 09:00 a.m. on Friday.”

Before the ceasefire announcement, heavy fighting continued into the night. Artillery fire echoed across Aleppo, and thick plumes of smoke were seen rising over the city at dusk. Rescue workers rushed to put out fires caused by shelling as Kurdish fighters attempted to repel the advance of government troops and maintain control over their neighbourhoods.

The clashes began on Tuesday and have already had serious humanitarian consequences. Syrian authorities said the fighting has forced more than 140,000 people to flee their homes and has killed at least seven civilians. The situation has added to the pressure on Syria’s new leadership as it seeks to stabilise the country after 14 years of civil war.

The standoff between Damascus and Kurdish authorities remains one of the biggest challenges for Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has promised to reunite the country following years of conflict. Kurdish-led forces have resisted full integration into the central government, despite earlier agreements.

Earlier on Thursday, Syria’s army had given residents time to evacuate Kurdish-held neighbourhoods in Aleppo ahead of further military action. It released more than seven maps showing areas it said would be targeted and imposed a curfew in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh starting at 3 p.m. (1200 GMT).

Kurdish forces, including the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the internal security force known as the Asayish, said they had successfully pushed back government attacks. However, negotiations over a ceasefire had stalled, even as fighting continued on the ground.

The United States expressed serious concern about the situation. On Thursday, Washington called for an immediate end to the clashes. Tom Barrack, U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Syria, said the United States and its allies were prepared to help calm the situation and reduce tensions between government troops and Kurdish forces, including the SDF.

SDF leader Mazloum Abdi strongly criticised the government’s military actions. He said the strikes and the deployment of tanks had damaged the chances of reaching an agreement and endangered civilians. Abdi stated that the attacks had undermined “the chances of reaching understandings, create conditions for dangerous demographic changes, and expose civilians trapped in the two neighbourhoods to the risk of massacres.”

Two Syrian government officials told Reuters that talks were ongoing regarding a possible withdrawal of Kurdish forces from Aleppo. In a separate statement, the Syrian government stressed the need for state authority, saying stability could not be achieved while armed groups operated independently. The statement added that the only solution was the return of government control to “preserve the unity of Syria.”

The Asayish denied claims that it had asked for safe passage out of the city. In a written statement, the group instead called on Damascus to withdraw its own forces from the contested areas.

Turkey also weighed in on the crisis, saying it was ready to assist Syria if requested. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan criticised the Kurdish-led forces during a joint press conference with Oman’s foreign minister. He said, “The attacks carried out against civilians in Aleppo have unfortunately exacerbated concerns about the true intentions of the SDF and created a pessimistic picture regarding peace efforts.” Fidan further added, “The SDF's insistence on protecting what it has at all costs is the biggest obstacle to achieving peace and stability in Syria.”

Turkey considers the U.S.-backed SDF a terrorist organisation and has warned it may take military action if the group does not honour a previously agreed integration plan.

Accusations of ethnic cleansing have also emerged. Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said he was deeply worried about attacks on Kurdish neighbourhoods in Aleppo, warning that targeting civilians and attempts to change the area’s demographic makeup amounted to ethnic cleansing.

The SDF said the government’s evacuation warnings before shelling could be seen as forced displacement and could constitute war crimes under international humanitarian law.

Kurdish-led authorities had set up a semi-autonomous administration in northeastern Syria and parts of Aleppo during the 14-year conflict. Although Damascus and the SDF reached a deal last year that aimed for full integration by the end of 2025, progress has been slow, with both sides accusing each other of delaying implementation. Recent U.S.-mediated talks ended without any clear results, leaving the situation fragile despite the newly announced ceasefire.