Syria announces ceasefire after days of clashes with Kurdish fighters in Aleppo

ALEPPO, Syria — Syria’s Defense Ministry announced a ceasefire on Friday after three days of clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters in the northern city of Aleppo that displaced tens of thousands of people. There was no immediate public response from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, while a local Kurdish council rejected calls for the evacuation of fighters. The ministry statement said the ceasefire was effective at 3 a.m. in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Aschrafieh and Bani Zaid and gave armed groups six hours to leave the area. It said departing militants would be allowed to carry their “personal light weapons” and would be provided with an escort to the country’s northeast, which is controlled by the SDF. Aleppo Gov. Azzam al-Gharib toured the contested neighborhoods with an escort of security forces overnight. However, in the hours after the announcement, no fighters departed. Buses lined up to evacuate militants remained empty hours after the deadline. A local council representing the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods issued a statement s

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