Evacuation Standoff: Syrian Military and SDF Tensions Escalate

In eastern Aleppo, a tense evacuation standoff unfolds as the Syrian military prepares for an offensive against the Kurdish-led SDF. Conflicting reports suggest civilians are being barred from using designated corridors. Negotiations between Damascus and the SDF have stalled, with rising tensions amid complex geopolitical alliances.

A small group of civilians managed to leave a contested area east of Aleppo following warnings from the Syrian military about an impending offensive against Kurdish-led forces. The military had provided a corridor for evacuation, but reports indicated that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were obstructing the passage, a claim they firmly denied.

In Hamima, government officials and ambulances awaited evacuees, but few arrived. Some families reported navigating back roads or walking part of the way to safety. Farhat Khorto, an Aleppo official, alleged that nearly two hundred civilian vehicles, along with hundreds of people, were prevented from leaving due to threats of snipers or explosives. The SDF attributes the hesitance to government shelling.

The developments signal a potential offensive east of Aleppo, with rising tensions after failed negotiations between Damascus and the SDF. With the Syrian military's insistence on the SDF retreating beyond the Euphrates River and geopolitical complexities involving the US and Turkey, the situation remains volatile.

(With inputs from agencies.)