Fighting in Aleppo raises concerns but no direct threat seen to Armenian community, analyst says

Clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurdish-led fighters in Aleppo have heightened security concerns in the war-scarred city, though there is no sign of targeted hostility toward its large Armenian community, a political analyst said.

Speaking to Panorama.am on Wednesday, political scientist Ara Poghosyan said recent fighting stems from unresolved tensions between Syrian authorities and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), despite earlier understandings brokered by the United States and backed by Turkey.

Under those arrangements, Kurdish forces were expected to integrate into state institutions and cede control of territories they administer in northern Syria. Kurdish leaders, however, have sought federalization, local autonomy and a share of Syria’s oil revenues – demands rejected by Damascus and strongly opposed by Turkey, which views Kurdish armed groups near its border as a security threat.

“These contradictions were never going to be resolved easily,” Poghosyan said, adding that Syria is unlikely to see lasting peace in the near future.

Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, has become a focal point because it includes predominantly Kurdish districts such as Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh. Poghosyan said government forces are determined to eliminate any form of Kurdish control there given the city’s strategic importance, while Kurdish forces also see Aleppo as vital.

The renewed violence has affected daily life across the city. According to Poghosyan, schools have been closed and conditions are difficult, prompting the Armenian community to cancel Christmas celebrations.

However, he said both government and Kurdish forces have so far shown no explicit anti-Armenian stance. “This has raised hopes that the Armenian community will not suffer damage,” Poghosyan said.