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Aleppo Agreements Enter a New Phase with a Second Withdrawal of Kurdish Forces
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The issue of the return of displaced residents to Afrin faces multiple obstacles related to the lack of trust in armed factions, necessitating real confidence-building measures and the deployment of n
The second group of Kurdish military units has started to withdraw from the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods in Aleppo. This withdrawal represents a significant development in the reconfiguration of the security landscape in northern Syria, especially amid the accumulated tensions the region has witnessed in recent years.
According to informed sources, these forces will head toward areas in the eastern Euphrates as part of newly introduced security measures aimed at reinforcing stability in the region, following political and military understandings reached among the concerned parties.
This move reflects a new direction in the repositioning of military forces in northern Syria, potentially paving the way for new administrative arrangements in line with regional and international changes.
It is important to note that this initiative is an additional step in the ongoing understandings between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government, following a series of meetings that discussed ways to resolve the military situation in northern Syria.
This development comes amid questions about the commitment of the different parties to implementing the terms of the agreements, especially given the history of fragile trust between the conflicting forces in the region.
On April 4th, the Kurdish military units began withdrawing from the Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods in Aleppo, in accordance with the recent agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the new administration in Damascus, heading towards the eastern Euphrates under the supervision of the Syrian Ministry of Defense.
These developments are part of efforts to implement the elements of the initial agreement between the new Syrian administration on one side and the Syrian Democratic Forces on the other, which was reached on March 28th. The agreement stipulates transforming the "Asayish" internal security forces in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh into public security forces with the same personnel, thereby placing them under the "Autonomous Administration."
The agreement reflects an attempt to reconcile local security needs with central authority, while maintaining some administrative autonomy for areas with a Kurdish majority.
The agreement also includes the release of 170 prisoners from the Syrian Democratic Forces, as well as several bodies of the dead, and around 400 detainees and bodies of public security and faction members, with all of this to be supervised and jointly managed by the U.S. until it is officially announced.
The U.S. involvement points to an international aspect in these understandings and may reflect Washington's desire to contribute to organizing the relationship between its Kurdish allies and the Syrian government, serving its strategic interests in the region.
Regarding Afrin, residents are demanding guarantees for their return, with these guarantees revolving around the departure of the "National Army" factions. The lack of trust in the "National Army" elements represents a major challenge. The Afrin issue serves as a real test of the parties' seriousness in addressing the issues of displacement and deportation and their ability to create a safe environment that allows original residents to return to their areas without fear of revenge or discrimination.
