Syria declares health emergency over in Aleppo, Raqqa after army gains ground

Syria’s health ministry has said it ended a health emergency in Aleppo, Deir Ezzor and Raqqa, announcing a transition to a recovery phase following recent military gains by government forces in the north and northeast of the country.

Friday’s declaration came after the Syrian army said it had taken control of eastern Aleppo’s countryside and the Deir Ezzor and Raqqa governorates after days of clashes with the YPG terrorists.

YPG is the Syrian branch of the terrorist PKK.

In a statement, the ministry said the next phase would prioritise restoring essential health services, with a focus on primary care, national vaccination programmes, maternal and child health, and services for the elderly.

Ensuring a ‘smooth transition’

As part of the emergency response, the ministry’s Emergency Operations Center carried out field visits to Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Raqqa and the town of Deir Hafer to assess conditions on the ground, support frontline medical staff, and improve coordination with local health authorities.

The goal, the ministry said, is to ensure a “smooth transition” from emergency response to sustainable recovery, while maintaining heightened health surveillance across the affected regions.

Officials said monitoring would remain particularly intensive in Hasakah, Qamishli and Ain al-Arab, where authorities want the ability to respond quickly to any new health developments.

The announcement followed statements from the Syrian presidency earlier this week that a “mutual understanding” had been reached with the YPG over the future of Hasakah province.

The defence ministry also declared a four-day ceasefire with the group on Tuesday.

That truce, however, appeared fragile. Syrian officials said SDF/YPG attacks on the first day of the ceasefire killed 11 soldiers and wounded 25 others, raising doubts about the durability of the agreement.