Tens of thousands flee fighting in Aleppo, Syria, after evacuation order

On Thursday 8 January 2026, the Syrian army ordered civilians to evacuate Kurdish‑majority neighbourhoods in Aleppo by 1 pm (10 am UK time). Tens of thousands fled as the army began “targeted operations” against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Sheikh Maqsoud, Achrafieh and Bani Zaid. Shelling, drone strikes and tanks intensified, killing at least eight civilians in Kurdish areas and seven civilians plus one soldier in government‑controlled zones. The provincial directorate reports 140 000 people displaced across Aleppo. The SDF, which has resisted integration into the army after President Assad’s fall in late 2024, faces accusations of stalling a March 2025 integration deal. International actors, including the US, UN and Turkey, urge restraint amid fears of further violence.