Thousands of Kurdish protesters marched in Qamishli, Syria, against the expulsion of Kurdish fighters from Aleppo following violent clashes that left at least 23 dead and over 150,000 displaced. The conflict highlights tensions between President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government and Kurdish forces, who oppose his Islamist-led regime. A stalled agreement to integrate Kurdish authorities into the central government raises fears of further violence and skepticism about Sharaa’s governance promises. The situation has led to concerns over a potential wider conflict, with the Syrian defense ministry declaring eastern Aleppo a “closed military zone.”
