Residents topple a statue of a female Kurdish fighter after the takeover of the town by Syrian government forces from U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Tabqa, eastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
ALEPPO, Syria (AP) — Displaced Syrians returned to the city of Aleppo after clashes between government forces and the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces earlier this month forced them to move to neighboring towns.
On Saturday, Syrian government troops moved into two northern towns after Kurdish-led forces pulled back in an effort to avoid further clashes.
On Sunday, the Syrian government announced a ceasefire with the SDF.
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This is a photo gallery created by AP photo editors.
People cross a damaged bridge over the Euphrates River in Raqqa, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT – The body of a female SDF fighter lies next to a burning car after Syrian government troops took control of the town from the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)FILE – An aerial view shows destroyed vehicles in a building in the area of the predominantly Kurdish Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood where clashes broke out Tuesday Jan. 6 between government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)Local youth tear up an SDF flag as they celebrate after Syrian government troops took control of the town from U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during an ongoing push against Kurdish-led forces, in Tabqa, eastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)FILE – Displaced residents return to a the Achrafieh neighborhood after days of fighting between government forces and Kurdish fighters in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT – The bodies of two civilians lie inside a car after fighting during the takeover of the city by Syrian government troops from the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)FILE – Displaced residents return to the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood after days of fighting between government forces and Kurdish fighters in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)Female soldiers of the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) march during a military parade in Qamishli, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. Syrian government forces have seized a strategic towns in eastern Syria, intensifying their push against Kurdish-led forces east of the Euphrates River.(AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad)People cross the Euphrates River by boat in Raqqa, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)People celebrate as Syrian government forces enter the town of Deir Hafer, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, following the withdrawal of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)People cross a damaged bridge over the Euphrates River in Raqqa, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)FILE – An aerial view shows buses carrying displaced residents as they return to the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood after days of fighting between government forces and Kurdish fighters in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)FILE – A displaced Syrian man rides a motorcycle carrying a birdcage near a humanitarian crossing declared by the Syrian army in the village of Hamima, in the eastern Aleppo countryside, near the front line with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in Deir Hafer, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)FILE – Displaced Syrians gather near a river crossing close to the village of Rasm al-Harmil al-Imam in the eastern Aleppo countryside, near the front line with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, in Deir Hafer, Syria, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. Aerial pattern from unknown source. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)FILE – Displaced residents return to the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood after days of fighting between government forces and Kurdish fighters in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)FILE – A man crosses a street in the predominantly Kurdish Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood after days of fighting between government forces and Kurdish fighters in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)People celebrate as Syrian government troops take control of the town from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)FILE – A member of the Syrian military police stands near a sign with Arabic text that reads “The road is dangerous. SDF is 1 kilometer away”, at a humanitarian crossing declared by the Syrian army in the village of Hamima, in the eastern Aleppo countryside, near the front line with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in Deir Hafer, Syria, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)FILE – Displaced Syrians cross a river in a boat near the village of Rasm al-Harmil al-Imam in the eastern Aleppo countryside, near the front line with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, in Deir Hafer, Syria, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)A member of the government forces fires into the air in celebration after taking control of the town from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)FILE – Syrian government soldiers carry machine guns as they ride motorcycles on a road leading to the town of Deir Hafer, Syria, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)Displaced Syrians walk to cross at a river crossing near the village of Rasm al-Harmil al-Imam in the eastern Aleppo countryside, near the front line with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, in Deir Hafer, Syria, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)A soldier waves a Syrian flag amid celebrations a day after Syrian government troops took control of Raqqa from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), at Al-Naeem roundabout in central Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)Turkish police use water cannons to prevent Kurdish demonstrators from storming a border crossing as they protest the Syrian government’s offensive against Kurdish-led forces and what they perceive as support from Turkey, as seen from Qamishli, northeastern Syria, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad)A Syrian government fighter inspects food left behind inside a prison cell, where red detainee suits lie on the floor, in the town of Shaddadeh, northeastern Syria, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, a day after Syria’s Interior Ministry said Islamic State group members escaped from the facility during clashes with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)Iraqi Border Guards deploy along the Syrian border amid heightened security following recent fighting in Syria, in Sinjar, northern Iraq, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Farid Abdulwahed)A truck drives past a damaged Humvee abandoned by retreating Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) along a road between government-controlled Raqqa and SDF-controlled Hassakeh in northeastern Syria, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)The body of a civilian lies in between two trucks along a road between government-controlled Raqqa and SDF-controlled Hassakeh in northeastern Syria, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)Tribal fighters pose for photographs with local children after Syrian government troops, supported by tribal forces, took control of Raqqa from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) last Sunday at Al-Naeem roundabout in central Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)Local youths kick flags belonging to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the village of al-Hol in northeastern Syria’s Hasakeh province, Syria, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)An aerial view shows the al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria’s Hasakeh province, Syria, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, after the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)People stand inside the al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria’s Hasakeh province, Syria, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, after the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)People cross a bridge over the Euphrates River in Deir Ezzor, eastern Syria, after Syrian government forces took control of the area following the withdrawal of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)People cross a damaged bridge over the Euphrates River in Deir Ezzor, eastern Syria, after Syrian government forces took control of the area following the withdrawal of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)An aerial view shows the al-Aqtan prison after government troops took control of it from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, SDF, in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)Armed Kurdish volunteers stand guard at a checkpoint while patrolling overnight in Qamishli, northeastern Syria, late Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad)
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