Syrian forces 'throwing people from buildings' horror sparks ethnic cleansing fears

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is a former al-Qaida commander (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The Syrian military seized control of two Kurdish neighbourhoods in the city of Aleppo following a brutal battle spanning several days, which led to dozens of fatalities, widespread destruction of residential areas, approximately 16,000 displaced residents, and more than 300 detentions accompanied by death threats, according to reports and video evidence.

An internationally brokered ceasefire has now been put in place between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish Internal Security Forces (Asayish) to "halt attacks and violations in Aleppo," as confirmed on Sunday by the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The United States and United Kingdom, alongside much of the international community, have recognised the crucial role Kurdish forces played in defeating ISIS across the Middle East, sparking concerns that their displacement or disarmament could enable these groups to re-emerge. Kurds in the eastern regions, both within Syria and Iran, face mounting threats: one from a newly formed government headed by Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaida commander, and another from Iran's IRGC, which is intensifying its crackdown on Kurdish territories amid widespread civil unrest.

Disturbing footage emerging from Aleppo has raised particular alarm, with The Express working to authenticate videos circulating on social media. Clips appear to show at least one female Kurdish fighter being thrown from a building, devastated neighbourhoods, exchanges of gunfire between Syrian troops and Kurdish fighters, families taking shelter in cellars, and thousands being compelled to abandon or evacuate their homes.

Kurdish forces have retained control of several districts within Syria's second-largest city and operate an autonomous administration throughout extensive swathes of the north and northeast. Historically, Kurdistan was partitioned into five separate countries by the British and French at Turkey's request in 1923.

Social media footage from the region is frequently brief due to a partial internet blackout affecting these areas. In one piece of footage, a Kurdish prisoner is compelled to bark like a dog, a female soldier is pushed from a building's roof, families are forced to abandon their homes, whilst others remain in basements for days on end.

Kurdish human rights organisations claim that Kurdish forces detained by al-Sharaa's troops may face execution or permanent separation from their families.

Syrian authorities reported dispatching forces to these districts to wrest control from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the predominantly Kurdish neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh. They claimed that groups within these areas had launched assaults on government troops.

The state news agency, SANA, described the strikes as "targeted operations" against the SDF's military wing, the YPG.

Each side is pointing fingers at the other for starting the violence (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Syrian forces, under the transitional government headed by Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, declared the neighbourhoods as "closed military areas" and legitimate targets. The escalation comes after talks between the new administration led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Kurdish military units broke down over plans to merge them into a reorganised Syrian army following Bashar Assad's removal from power.

The SDF has rejected calls to pull back or be fully absorbed into the national armed forces, vowing to defend the territories under its control.

After evacuation alerts were issued, around 16,000 residents are thought to have escaped the region. Aleppo's airport halted operations until late Friday owing to the fighting, whilst the AFP news agency noted that shops, universities, and educational institutions stayed shut in affected zones.

The Directorate of Social Affairs and Labor in Aleppo estimates that close to 140,000 individuals have been forced from their homes across the wider province during the unrest.

An aerial view of the Ashrafieh neighborhood after clashes (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Footage circulating online depicts armed personnel connected to Syrian security apparatus moving through Kurdish neighbourhoods.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, along with additional watchdog groups, has warned of a possible "scenario of bloody massacres," making parallels with earlier attacks on Kurdish communities in Afrin executed by Turkish-supported militias in 2018.

Turkey, which views the SDF as linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a proscribed terrorist organisation, has allegedly provided military support to Damascus, including armoured vehicles and unmanned aerial systems in this specific offensive, according to Kurdish and Turkish media sources. Critics, including Kurdish campaigners, allege the assaults are orchestrated alongside Ankara.

Meanwhile, Syrian forces have operated largely without interference from the U.S. and EU, both of which have welcomed Syria's political transformation under Sharaa, striking him from wanted lists and extending invitations for official visits.

Syrian state fighters targeted Kurdish areas in Aleppo with human rights groups listing abuses (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

On Saturday, reports emerged that Syrian military forces had seized control of Sheikh Maqsoud, though the SDF disputed this account, accusing Damascus of disseminating misinformation. The Syrian Arab Army subsequently declared it had concluded its operation after taking both districts - a claim the Kurdish forces refuted, insisting that fighting persists in Sheikh Maqsood.

This morning a ceasefire was declared, seemingly negotiated by international mediators.

The arrangement has been reached between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish Internal Security Forces (Asayish) to "halt attacks and violations in Aleppo," according to a statement issued Sunday by the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which operates in conjunction with the Asayish.

He also conveyed his "deepest respect and tribute" to the "resistance fighters of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh," whilst extending "condolences to ourselves, as we do to the families of the martyrs and to our people."

After several days of fighting, Syrian government forces took control of two Kurdish areas in Aleppo (Image: Getty Images)

Footage distributed by Qatar-state-affiliated Al Jazeera and Syrian news organisations depict scenes of "calm" in the wake of the takeover, with claims that residents are making their way back home. However, certain Kurdish media accounts present a contrasting picture to these reports.

On Saturday, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack held discussions with senior figures in Damascus, including President Ahmad al-Sharaa, calling on all parties to halt the bloodshed and return to the negotiating table.

"Violence risks undermining the progress achieved since the fall of the Assad regime and invites external interference that serves no party's interests," Barrack stated in remarks shared on X. "We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, immediately cease hostilities, and return to dialogue," he continued.

The clashes with Kurdish forces in Aleppo follow closely on the heels of sectarian unrest involving the Alawite minority near the coastal city of Latakia in late December, alongside the April 2025 massacre of nearly 1,000 people in Druze communities throughout Syria, pointing towards a developing pattern of ethnic cleansing.