U.S. Envoy Says They Are Working to Extend Aleppo Ceasefire

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U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack.

U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack announced that the United States warmly welcomes the temporary ceasefire achieved last night in Aleppo’s Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods, stating that they are working intensively to extend this ceasefire and spirit of understanding beyond this morning’s 9 o’clock deadline

"The United States warmly welcomes the temporary ceasefire achieved last night in Aleppo’s Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods and extends profound gratitude to all parties—the Syrian government, the Syrian Democratic Forces, local authorities, and community leaders—for the restraint and goodwill that made this vital pause possible," Barrack said on X.

"With sustained cooperation and by the grace of the One God whom all our communities revere in their own light, we are hopeful this weekend will bring a more enduring calm and deeper dialogue," he added.

"In times of crisis, fresh clarity often emerges. This truce begins the vital work of guiding Syria’s diverse lanes—its communities and neighboring nations—onto a single shared highway toward security, inclusion, and lasting peace," he added. "Speed bumps will arise, but our common destination clearly favors cooperation over confrontation."

"We are working intensively to extend this ceasefire and spirit of understanding beyond this morning’s 9 o’clock deadline," he said.

Syria's defence ministry declared a ceasefire Aleppo early on Friday, a move that could halt fresh fighting between government troops and Kurdish fighters.

"A ceasefire is to take effect in the vicinity of the Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyah, and Bani Zaid neighbourhoods in the city of Aleppo, starting at 03:00 a.m. after midnight," the defence ministry said in a statement. "Armed groups in the neighbourhoods are requested to leave the area starting at 03:00 a.m. after midnight. The deadline expires at 09:00 a.m. on Friday."

Tensions between Syrian government forces and the internal security forces (Asayish) in Aleppo have been ongoing since Tuesday, with pro-government factions intensively shelling the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh Kurdish neighbourhoods, causing dozens civilian deaths and injuries.

The Syrian state news agency SANA reported earlier on Thursday that the army had launched heavy and concentrated shelling on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods.

In a previous statement, Barrack stressed that lasting stability would require time, patience and inclusive dialogue.

“Profound transformations of this nature cannot be achieved overnight,” he said. “The deep scars of prolonged conflict require time to heal, and enduring progress demands patience, tolerance, and genuine mutual understanding across all segments of Syrian society. Nonetheless, we remain steadfast in the vision of a Syria that ensures full inclusion and equal rights for every citizen—Sunni, Kurd, Druze, Christian, Alawite, and all other communities—without exception.”

Mazloum Abdi, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has warned that the deployment of tanks and the targeting of civilians in Aleppo are severely undermining prospects for negotiation, creating conditions for dangerous demographic changes and exposing entire neighbourhoods to the risk of massacres.

The SDF, which are the de facto military authority in northeast Syria (Rojava), have for years been the main partner of the U.S.-led Global Coalition against ISIS. The SDF played a decisive role in the territorial defeat of the extremist terrorist group in Syria in 2019.

In addition to frontline operations, the Kurdish-led forces are responsible for securing the two main camps in Rojava that hold ISIS militants and their families — al-Hol and Roj. The SDF has also conducted sustained security operations aimed at dismantling ISIS sleeper cells, whose members have operated largely as lone actors.

During Syria's 14-year civil war, Kurdish authorities began running a semi-autonomous zone in northeast Syria, as well as in parts of Aleppo city.

They have been reluctant to give up those zones and integrate fully into the Islamist-led government that took over after ex-President Bashar al-Assad's ousting in late 2024.

Last year, the Damascus government reached a deal with the SDF that envisaged a full integration by the end of 2025, but the two sides have made little progress, each accusing the other of stalling or acting in bad faith.

The U.S. has stepped in as a mediator, holding meetings as recently as Sunday to try to nudge the process forward. Sunday's meetings ended with no tangible progress.

Failure to integrate the SDF into Syria's army risks further violence and could potentially draw in Türkiye, which has threatened an incursion against Kurdish fighters it views as terrorists.



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