Schools, offices shut, thousands flee Aleppo as clashes persist

Syria's army began shelling Kurdish-majority neighbourhoods in the northern city Aleppo on Wednesday after its deadline for civilians to leave expired, an AFP correspondent said, on the second day of clashes between the two sides.

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Schools and public institutions were shut in north Syria’s Aleppo as sporadic clashes between government troops and Kurdish-led forces continued into their second day, according to state media. Authorities also announced the suspension of flights in Aleppo’s airport.

Tuesday's clashes, which killed nine people, were the worst between the two sides, who have so far failed to implement a March deal to merge the Kurds’ semi-autonomous administration and military into Syria’s new Islamist government.

“At night, Aleppo was a ghost town, no movement, the shops were closed, and many streets were dark with no electricity,” Abdul Karim Baqi, 50, told AFP. Baqi, who lives in one of Aleppo's two Kurdish-majority neighbourhoods, escaped the violence and sought refuge at a relative's home.

The Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces traded blame over who started the deadly clashes on Tuesday, with the two sides so far failing to implement a March deal to merge the Kurds’ semi-autonomous administration and military into Syria’s new Islamist government.