Schools, institutions closed in Syria's Aleppo as clashes persist

Damascus: Schools and public institutions were shut in north Syria s Aleppo on Wednesday, as sporadic clashes between government troops and Kurdish le...

Damascus: Schools and public institutions were shut in north Syria's Aleppo on Wednesday, as sporadic clashes between government troops and Kurdish-led forces continued into their second day, according to state media.

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 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.

Syria's official news agency SANA on Wednesday reported shelling from Kurdish neighbourhoods on government-held areas, adding that Syrian troops had returned fire.