Battles Erupt On Aleppo Streets

THE BRIEFING 

Here’s what’s happening in geopolitics today.

From headline-grabbing theatrics in Washington to deadly attacks and uneasy ceasefires across Asia and the Middle East, today’s news spans everything from naval ambition to hard security realities.

We’re tracking militant violence in Pakistan, U.S. strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Pacific, a fragile de-escalation in northern Syria, and fresh diplomatic signals as Australia extends an invitation to Israel’s president.

In today’s Deep Dive, we examine the escalation in Aleppo, where competing narratives from Damascus and the SDF and shifting military movements are pushing the city toward a wider confrontation.

THE LAST 24 HOURS IN GEOPOLITICS 

1. Trump unveils new class of battleships named after himself
Trump unveiled plans for a new “Trump-class” battleship as the centerpiece of the U.S. Navy’s “Golden Fleet” initiative, while renewing long-standing demands for control over Greenland. Emphasizing strategic imperatives, Trump stated: “We need Greenland for national protection. They have a very small population. They say Denmark, but Denmark has spent no money, they have no military protection... We need Greenland for national security, not for minerals—we have so many sites for minerals and oil and everything.”
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2. Five Pakistani police personnel killed in ‘gun and bomb’ attack
Five Pakistani police officers were killed when suspected militants ambushed their vehicle in the Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, opening fire and setting the patrol van ablaze, local authorities said. The officers were identified by police as Shahid Iqbal, Safdar, Arif, Samiullah and Muhammad Abrar, and investigators have launched a search operation to trace the attackers. Officials condemned the assault and vowed to pursue those responsible, though no group has yet claimed responsibility for the ambush.
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3. US strikes another suspected drug vessel in Pacific, killing one
The U.S. military conducted another strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Monday, killing one person aboard, the U.S. Southern Command said in a social media post. The command described the target as a “low-profile vessel” moving along known narcotics trafficking routes, though it did not provide independent evidence linking the boat to drug smuggling.
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4. Syrian Government and SDF agree to de-escalate after Aleppo violence
Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed on Monday evening to de-escalate clashes in the northern city of Aleppo after a bout of violence left at least two civilians dead and several others wounded, with both sides issuing orders to halt hostilities. The agreement came after a wave of mutual shelling that both Damascus and the SDF blamed on the other, and followed heightened tensions over stalled talks on integrating the SDF into Syria’s armed forces ahead of a year-end deadline. State media reported the Syrian Defense Ministry ordered its troops to stop targeting SDF positions, and the SDF likewise instructed its fighters to cease responding to government fire, underscoring a reluctant but necessary pause in fighting to prevent further civilian harm.
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5. Australia invites Israel’s President Herzog to visit
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called Israeli President Isaac Herzog today and formally invited him to visit Australia, expressing Canberra’s support in the wake of the recent terror attack on the Jewish community in Sydney. Herzog said he intends to accept the invitation, noting he also received a separate official request from the President of the Zionist Federation of Australia. The outreach comes as part of ongoing diplomatic engagement between Canberra and Jerusalem amid broader discussions on regional security and rising antisemitism.
read more

DAILY DEEP DIVE

A New Battle In Aleppo?

Context
Damascus says its actions in Aleppo are aimed at restoring state authority and protecting civilians, citing alleged SDF-linked provocations. Officials point to what they claim was an attack on Al-Razi Hospital as justification for their response, arguing it was necessary to reassert sovereignty, while again accusing the SDF of acting in bad faith and coordinating with external actors.

From the Syrian Democratic Forces perspective, Damascus authorities used a fabricated claim of an attack the Al-Razi Hospital as a pretext to justify operations against Kurdish neighbourhoods in Aleppo. The SDF rejects the allegation outright, stating the hospital was not struck and that the story was amplified by official media and the so-called Aleppo Council to distort events. They argue the narrative was designed to mask documented artillery and tank fire by government-aligned forces on Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyah, and surrounding areas. According to the SDF, extensive field evidence and video footage contradict the government’s account, exposing the claim as political cover for the assault.

According to a post by the  SDF, they claim a video shows General Security units linked to Damascus withdrawing from the joint checkpoint at the Al-Jazeera car wash before any clashes occurred, following a calm and cooperative exchange with SDF-affiliated internal security forces. This, they argue, directly undermines claims that the withdrawal was forced or chaotic and removes any justification for the subsequent use of tanks and rockets against the neighbourhoods. The SDF says the withdrawal was a deliberate, pre-planned move intended to enable an attack. They further reject the official narrative put forward by Damascus authorities, stating that the assault killed one civilian, wounded 17 others, and injured six members of the Internal Security Forces in Aleppo.

Read the Tweet Here

According to multiple pro-Kurdish and anti-government the SDF is deploying heavy reinforcements to the Deir Hafer axis as clashes continue between Kurdish Asayish forces and Syrian government-aligned units in Aleppo. Fighting remains ongoing across parts of northwest Syria.

External Comments
Hours before Sheikh Maqsoud came under shelling, Turkey’s foreign minister was in Damascus accusing the SDF of acting in bad faith and claiming it was coordinating with Israel. Such allegations, long used to delegitimise Kurdish forces, were publicly aired just ahead of the escalation.

The Al-Bakara Bedouin Tribe has announced a mass mobilisation against the SDF, accusing it of committing acts of oppression and injustice against Arab communities in Aleppo. This follows a possible problem we have previously discussed many times, in which tribal dynamics become a decisive factor when tensions escalate between Kurdish-led forces and local Arab populations. With a large portion of territory under SDF control inhabited by Arab tribes and an Arab population in general, such alignments risk widening the conflict beyond its current front lines – and causing mayhem within the territory of the SDF. 

Sources
News/Journal sources available upon request, not shown to maintain visual integrity of page.

TWEET OF THE DAY

Not going to lie, I’ve personally played 18 at Trump International in Florida and it’s a great course so the Trump-class battleships could be a hit! (pun intended) 😂

TODAY IN HISTORY

(December 23, 1888): The incident at the Yellow House

Vincent van Gogh cut off part of his own left ear on this day in 1888 after a heated argument with fellow artist Paul Gauguin, with whom he had been sharing a house in the south of France. Van Gogh reportedly then delivered his ear to a nearby brothel. Art historians have debated the incident for decades.