Syrian government officials and Kurdish-led authorities conducted a large-scale prisoner exchange in the northern city of Aleppo on Monday, freeing a total of 469 detainees in a rare moment of collaboration aimed at de-escalating tensions in contested neighbourhoods.
The exchange took place at the Cizir Gate, which connects the government-controlled areas to Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh—two northern Aleppo districts under the administration of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The deal saw the release of 293 prisoners held by Kurdish local authorities and 176 held by the Syrian state.
This marked the second exchange under a 14-point agreement signed on 1 April between AANES and Damascus representatives. The first phase was carried out on 3 April, involving 243 prisoners in total. The process was delayed last week after the Syrian government initially refused to release members of the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), a move that briefly stalled the agreement’s implementation.
Monday’s operation resumed after renewed talks in Damascus on 1 June, where officials from both sides reaffirmed their commitment to resolving disputes in a manner “serving peace and stability”, according to a joint statement.
The meeting also addressed broader issues, including education access, voluntary returns of displaced people, and future governance of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh. Both parties agreed to form expert subcommittees to ensure implementation of the March memorandum signed by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi and interim Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The release of a YPJ fighter during Monday’s exchange drew emotional reactions in the Kurdish region, with images showing her return after long captivity.
The cautious rapprochement comes amid international calls for a political settlement in Syria and follows limited easing of Western sanctions, which both sides have welcomed as an opportunity for reconstruction and security cooperation.
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