Syrian security forces on Monday reached a cease-fire agreement with the SDF, dominated by the U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG, in western Aleppo province following recent clashes.
Syrian media quoted an official announcing that the agreement has taken effect.
Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said Tuesday that he met with Ferhat Abdi Şahin, leader of the YPG, in Damascus and agreed to an immediate cease-fire in northern and northeastern Syria.
"We agreed on a comprehensive cease-fire across all fronts and military positions in northern and northeastern Syria, with the implementation of the agreement to begin immediately," the minister said in a social media post.
On the other hand, the Aleppo governorate stated that all educational and public institutions will cease operations as of Oct. 7 across the province.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, Nour al-Din al-Baba, in a statement to Syria’s official state television, said that 25 civilians have been injured in attacks by the PKK/YPG. A press worker has also been wounded.
SDF fighters launched assaults around Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods, prompting authorities to seal off roads leading to the area. Mosques reportedly urged residents to remain indoors as clashes continued intermittently.
The fighting intensified after YPG/PKK militants attacked Syrian security forces in Sheikh Maqsoud using heavy weapons and targeted the Rahman Mosque area in the nearby Surian neighborhood with mortar fire. Security forces retaliated, and gunfire was still heard in the area late Monday.
One soldier and three others were wounded.
Tensions have escalated in northern Syria following the ouster of Bashar Assad last December, ending his 24-year rule and the Baath Party’s six-decade dominance. Assad fled to Russia amid mounting public unrest and military defections.
The government, led by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa since January, has vowed to reassert control across the country and eliminate remaining terrorist threats. Officials say the latest PKK/YPG assaults underscore ongoing challenges to achieving stability in the region.
Although a deal was signed between al-Sharaa and the SDF in March, implementation has yet to be seen.
Turkish media outlets reported on Tuesday that Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani will visit Türkiye on Wednesday and meet with his counterpart, Hakan Fidan. The YPG's status will likely dominate the meeting's agenda.
On Monday, U.S. Special Envoy and Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack met with Şahin. "I visited northeast Syria today with @CENTCOM Commander Admiral (Brad) Cooper for substantive conversations with @MazloumAbdi (Ferhad Abdi Sahin) and the SDF,” Barrack said in a post on X, referring to the head of the top U.S. command in the Middle East. He stressed the importance of advancing U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision of "'giving Syria a chance,' by allowing Syrians to unite with all Syrians in a renewed effort for cooperative peace and prosperity."
