Aleppo: Syria on Saturday suspended all air traffic at Aleppo International Airport until further notice, citing security concerns linked to recent attacks by the terrorist organization YPG/SDF on residential neighborhoods in the northern city.
According to Anadolu Agency, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, in a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), announced that the airport would remain closed 'until further notice' to ensure the safety of passengers and flight crews and safeguard operational security. The authority described the decision as a temporary and precautionary step pending the completion of technical and security assessments in coordination with relevant authorities.
Official updates will be issued once a decision to resume flights is made, the statement added. Travelers are urged to follow up with their respective airlines for the latest information. The authority had earlier noted that flights were suspended to and from Aleppo International Airport until 23:00 (2000GMT).
Since Tuesday, the SDF has shelled residential neighborhoods, civilian facilities, and Syrian Army positions in Aleppo, resulting in the deaths of 23 people and injuries to over 100 others. The attacks have also triggered the displacement of about 165,000 residents from the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud districts.
In March 2025, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement for the SDF's integration into state institutions, reaffirming the country's territorial unity and rejecting any attempts at division. In April 2025, Syrian authorities signed an agreement with the SDF regarding the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods, stipulating that both districts would be considered administrative parts of the city of Aleppo while respecting their local particularities.
The agreement also included provisions to ban armed manifestations, restrict weapons to internal security forces, and require the withdrawal of SDF military forces to areas east of the Euphrates River in northeastern Syria. However, authorities have claimed that the SDF has not shown any efforts to meet the terms of the agreements since their signing.
The Syrian government has intensified efforts to maintain security across the country since the ouster of the Assad regime in December 2024, after 24 years in power.