SDF: Our fighters withdraw from the city of Aleppo following bloody clashes with government forces

SadaNews - The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Sunday the withdrawal of its fighters from the Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods in the city of Aleppo, following days of bloody clashes with government forces.

The SDF stated in a statement that it had reached a consensus through international mediation that includes a ceasefire, ensuring the evacuation of the dead, injured, trapped civilians, in addition to the fighters, from the two neighborhoods towards areas in northern and eastern Syria.

Meanwhile, the Syrian official news agency "SANA" confirmed the departure of buses carrying the last batch of SDF elements from the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood towards northeastern Syria.

The Syrian army operations authority also mentioned that the fighters who were holed up inside the hospital would be transferred towards the city of Tabqa after their weapons were confiscated. In contrast, the SDF previously denied any withdrawal, asserting that what is happening is the evacuation of displaced civilians.

Aleppo Governor Izzam Al-Gharib confirmed that the city is now completely devoid of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) after the last of their elements left the Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods.

Al-Gharib clarified that the last SDF fighters left Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood on buses heading towards northeastern Syria, noting that internal security forces took control of Yasin Hospital after evacuating it from militants, and are currently working on securing the hospital and its surroundings.

For his part, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, confirmed that a consensus had been reached, with the mediation of international parties, to establish a ceasefire and secure the evacuation of the dead, injured, trapped civilians, in addition to the fighters, from the Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods towards northeastern Syria.

A security source reported that about 90 SDF fighters surrendered to the Syrian army in Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, and they were transported for interrogation before being referred to the judiciary.

Clashes erupted last Tuesday in the Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods, resulting in the deaths of at least 21 civilians and the displacement of about 155,000 people, according to Aleppo authorities, amid a mutual exchange of accusations between the two sides regarding responsibility for the outbreak of fighting.

These developments come amid stalled negotiations between Damascus and the SDF regarding the implementation of a previous agreement that stipulates the integration of Kurdish self-administration institutions within Syrian state institutions, following international diplomatic moves calling for a cessation of fighting and restraint.