DAMASCUS: Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces agreed to de-escalate in the northern city of Aleppo, after a wave of attacks that both sides blamed on each other left at least two civilians dead and several wounded. Syria's state news agency SANA, citing the defence ministry, said the army's general command issued an order to stop targeting the SDF's fire sources. The SDF said in a statement later that it had issued instructions to stop responding to attacks by Syrian government forces following de-escalation contacts.
The Syrian health ministry said two people were killed and several were wounded in shelling by the SDF on residential neighbourhoods in the city. The injuries included two children and two civil defence workers. The violence erupted hours after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said during a visit to Damascus that the SDF appeared to have no intention of honouring a commitment to integrate into the state's armed forces by an agreed year-end deadline. Aleppo's governor announced a temporary suspension of attendance in all public and private schools and universities on Tuesday, as well as government offices within the city centre. — Reuters
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