Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Syrian counterpart Asaad Hassan al Shaibani on Friday discussed the situation in the city of Aleppo in a phone call, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
The terrorist organisation YPG has carried out attacks on multiple locations in Aleppo from areas it has occupied since January 6, according to Syrian officials.
The Syrian Defence Ministry announced a temporary ceasefire in the early hours of Friday, giving armed groups six hours to withdraw from the city.
The time limit given to the group ended at 9 am local time (0600GMT), after the Syrian army largely gained control of the Ashrafieh and Bani Zaid neighbourhoods through targeted operations against YPG positions in the city centre.
As the assaults continued, the Syrian army launched targeted operations against the group’s positions in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighbourhoods, which were under its occupation.
Last March 10, the Syrian presidency announced the signing of an agreement for the terrorist group YPG’s integration into state institutions, reaffirming the country's territorial unity and rejecting any attempts at division.
But in the months since, authorities say, the terrorist group has not shown any efforts to meet the terms of the agreement.
The government has intensified efforts to maintain security across the country since the ouster of the Assad regime in December 2024, after 24 years in power.
Since January 6, at least nine Syrians have been killed and 55 people – most of them civilians –wounded in attacks carried out by the group.
The Aleppo City Centre Committee said this week that 142,000 people had been evacuated to safe areas within the city.
EU pledges “full suport” for Syria’s recovery
Simultaneously, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday pledged Europe's full support for Syria's recovery and reconstruction, as she met Syrian leadership on her visit to Damascus.
"After decades of fear and silence, Syrians began a long journey toward hope and renewal. Europe will do everything it can to support Syria’s recovery and reconstruction," von der Leyen wrote on X.
EU Council President Antonio Costa, who accompanied von der Leyen, met Syrian officials, including President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying the EU's visit demonstrated "continued support for the Syrian people."
