Aleppo’s Qassem Amin School was left damaged after five days of fierce fighting between the Kurdish-led SDF and Syrian government forces, which began on January 6 while pupils were sitting exams. At least 155,000 people were displaced from Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud, neighbourhoods long held by the SDF. The SDF says it withdrew to avoid civilian strikes; the Syrian army denies this and has since taken control of the districts. The SDF remains active in northeastern Syria, reportedly regrouping about 50 km east of Aleppo.
Aleppo School Reels After Five Days Of Fighting Between SDF And Syrian Forces
Bullet casings and shattered glass were left behind after the fighting between the SDF and the Syrian government in Aleppo’s Qassem Amin school [Bernard Smith/Al Jazeera]
Spent bullet casings and shards of glass litter the corridors and classrooms of Qassem Amin School in Aleppo’s Ashrafieh neighbourhood. Desks have been dragged across stairwells as makeshift barricades, and the playground — once filled with children — became a frontline during last week’s clashes.
School staff say fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had occupied the building’s top floor five months earlier while classes continued beneath them.
“It was very wrong, especially for the children,” said head teacher Ouafa Zein al-Dein. “We never interacted with them, never even spoke to them. I never let anyone near them.”
The clashes began on January 6, the day pupils were taking exams. When the first explosions rang out, the head teacher quickly sent students home; exams were never completed. Over the course of five days of fighting, at least 155,000 people fled Ashrafieh and neighbouring Sheikh Maqsoud — mostly Kurdish districts that had been under SDF control for about 10 years.
Background And Political Context
Last March, the SDF reportedly agreed to merge with the Syrian army following a meeting between SDF leader Mazloum Abdi (also known as Mazloum Kobani) and President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The agreement was described as part of a wider plan to place SDF-held areas under the authority of the new government that formed after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. However, that integration has not been fully implemented.
Residents have been returning to the areas of Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud in Aleppo after the SDF withdrew following fighting with the Syrian government [Bernard Smith/Al Jazeera]
End Of Clashes And Aftermath
The five days of intense fighting ended when the SDF announced it would withdraw. The Kurdish force said it pulled back to prevent the Syrian army from striking civilian buildings; the Syrian army denies that allegation and accuses the SDF of targeting civilian sites — an accusation the SDF also rejects. The Syrian government has since permitted residents to return to most affected areas.
In freezing rain, families returned to Sheikh Maqsoud’s narrow streets amid damp electricity cables and damaged homes. One shopkeeper, Abu Walid, said SDF fighters tried to use his building as a firing position; he protested, telling them the house had been weakened by the 2023 earthquake and pleading for civilian safety.
After the SDF withdrawal, Syrian army security units swept the neighbourhoods for booby traps, weapons and, officials say, individuals believed to have been detained or taken during earlier operations. The Syrian army now says it has full control of Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud.
Despite their pullback around Aleppo, the SDF remains active in northeastern Syria and is reportedly regrouping units in the countryside roughly 50 km (31 miles) east of Aleppo.
Human cost: The immediate physical damage to the school and homes, the abrupt interruption of students’ exams, and the displacement of more than 150,000 residents underscore the civilian toll of the clashes. Local residents and officials continue to trade accusations about who targeted civilians during the fighting.
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