United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed grave concern over reports of civilian deaths and injuries following a renewed outbreak of violence in northeastern parts of Aleppo, Syria, calling for immediate de-escalation and dialogue to halt the clashes.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York on Wednesday that the organisation has reminded all parties of their obligation under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
At least five civilians have reportedly been killed, while about 30,000 people have been forced to flee their homes after fighting resumed in the city, prompting renewed appeals from the UN for restraint and a return to political negotiations.
Hostilities reignited on Tuesday between the General Security Forces of the transitional government and the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), after a brief lull following a ceasefire announced in late December 2025.
The clashes, which began near the Alleramoon roundabout on Aleppo’s western outskirts, quickly spread to the mainly Kurdish neighbourhoods of Ash-Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh. Shelling also affected nearby government-controlled areas.
Homes and public facilities have suffered extensive damage, including health infrastructure. At least three major hospitals have reportedly shut down operations, while flights in and out of Aleppo International Airport have been suspended since Tuesday.
Guterres urged all parties to “immediately de-escalate, exercise maximum restraint, and take all possible measures to prevent further harm to civilians.”
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that around 30,000 people have been displaced. More than 2,000 families have relocated to Afrin district, while about 1,100 individuals are sheltering in nine collective centres within Aleppo. Thousands more fled Ashrafiyeh and Ash-Sheikh Maqsoud on Wednesday, seeking refuge with host communities.
Local authorities have designated places of worship as temporary shelters, opened humanitarian corridors to facilitate civilian evacuation, and deployed public buses to transport displaced families.
The Secretary-General called on all sides to show flexibility and goodwill on both military and political fronts, urging a resumption of talks to fully implement the March 10 agreement between the opposing sides.
Responding to questions on possible solutions, Dujarric said a key step would be an agreement placing security forces under a unified national command, stressing the need for a state where “all Syrians feel safe and protected.”
The latest violence comes amid a fragile transition following the fall of the Assad government in December 2024. Since then, recurring flare-ups across the country — including sectarian attacks in predominantly Alawite coastal regions and Druze communities in Sweida and other areas — have triggered new waves of displacement and heightened insecurity.
Millions of Syrians remain dependent on humanitarian assistance, with many spending another winter in tents or damaged homes after nearly 14 years of conflict.
OCHA also reported that severe snowstorms in late December affected about 158,000 internally displaced persons across Aleppo, Idleb and Al-Hasakeh governorates. Two infants reportedly died from extreme cold in displacement camps in northern Idlib, while thousands of shelters were damaged, exposing families to freezing conditions.
The agency warned that without a rapid scale-up of humanitarian support, health risks — particularly for children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses — would continue to rise, even as insecurity further restricts access and aid delivery.