Families flee the Shaykh Maqsoud neighborhood of Damascus after the bombardments on December 22. Source: Free Syrian News Network.
On Monday, December 22, 2025, armed clashes erupted in Aleppo between the Syrian government army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with intense fighting reported between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Exchanges of artillery fire and mortar shells struck both government-held areas and SDF-controlled zones, and loud explosions were heard across several city neighborhoods. Several civilians were killed and many wounded.
Both sides blame each other for starting the shooting. As of December 23, fighting had ceased, but the atmosphere remains tense, especially for civilians preparing for Christmas.
Why the clashes erupted
In the background is an agreement signed on March 10 this year between the Syrian government and the Kurdish leadership, which provides for the integration of the SDF and Kurdish government structures into Syrian state institutions by the end of the year.
Northeastern Syria, as well as parts of Aleppo, are under the control of the Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria (AANES), a secular, Kurdish-led government. The region gained its autonomy during Syria’s long civil war, which started in 2011.
Since the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad fell last December, most of the rest of Syria has been under the control of a transitional government led by former al Qaeda fighters, including Syria’s new president, Ahmed al Sharaa. Government forces carried out massacres of Alawite Muslim civilians in Syria’s coastal region in March, and of Druze and Christian civilians in southern Syria in July, stoking fears among the Kurds about the dangers of handing control of their region over to Damascus.
In recent days, Damascus and some regional actors (particularly Turkey) have increased pressure on the Kurds, accusing them of not implementing the agreement seriously; the SDF, for their part, fear losing autonomy and accuse Damascus of using force to impose integration.
Public statements by the Turkish foreign minister, made during a visit to Damascus and criticizing the Kurds’ position, further hardened the atmosphere prior to the clashes.
Victims and immediate consequences
CSI’s sources report at least 3 people killed and several dozen wounded in yesterday’s clashes in Aleppo. The dead include a woman and a child killed by artillery fire. Most of the wounded were also women and children. Many civilians also lost their homes or cars in the shelling and the resulting fires.
Local authorities ordered the temporary suspension of classes in schools and universities, as well as reduced operations in public offices in the city center, reflecting a situation widely perceived as unstable.
A fragile ceasefire
In the evening, the Syrian army command issued an order to halt fire against the SDF in Aleppo, presenting it as a measure to protect civilians and prevent further escalation.
The SDF, in a subsequent statement, said they had instructed their fighters to stop returning fire against government forces, thereby accepting a de‑escalation.
There was no mention of a formal ceasefire agreement: it appears to be more an order to “stop hostilities” to calm the situation while awaiting developments on the integration dossier by the end of the year.
Christians in Aleppo on the eve of Christmas
Aleppo’s Christian neighborhoods have already experienced deep trauma due to the clashes on October 6 between the government and Kurdish forces, which revived memories of the war years and forced many families to flee temporarily or seek refuge in churches and relatives’ homes.
On that occasion, many Christian schools remained closed for days, children suffered severe psychological shock, and the faithful spoke of a “return to the nightmare” after years of relative calm.
After these latest clashes, the atmosphere among Christians can be described as one of very fragile calm: fear and exhaustion, but also a desire to celebrate Christmas nonetheless as a sign of faith, hope, and spiritual resilience amid uncertainty.
