Aleppo: After more than 14 years of war, Syria is once again facing fresh violence, with renewed clashes shaking the city of Aleppo. Bishop Hanna Jallouf, the Vicar Apostolic of Aleppo, has voiced deep concern over the worsening situation and appealed for an end to bloodshed and displacement.

Speaking to Vatican News from the city, the Bishop said fighting has intensified since Tuesday between government forces and Kurdish-majority militias known as the Syrian Democratic Forces. “A shepherd must be with his flock in difficult times,” he said, adding that the situation in Aleppo appears to be going from bad to worse.

Preliminary reports indicate that at least five people have been killed and dozens injured, including civilians. United Nations estimates suggest that more than 30,000 people have already fled their homes due to the violence. The Bishop also referred to distressing videos circulating on social media showing bodies lying on the streets beneath cars.

The Syrian army has imposed a curfew in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods and ordered residents in several Kurdish-dominated areas to evacuate their homes in anticipation of further attacks.

As families flee the violence, religious communities have stepped in to offer help. Bishop Jallouf said Christian groups have opened three shelters for displaced people, including two within the Latin bishopric at the Holy Land College and the Church of the Annunciation. The Syriac Orthodox Church has opened another shelter, while Muslim communities have made four mosques available.

Nearly 3,500 people have already been accommodated, with others finding refuge in private homes or elsewhere. Along with shelter, volunteers are providing blankets and essential supplies.

“We have already suffered enough,” the Bishop said. “Let there be no more blood or fear.” He stressed that with around 11 million Syrians already living abroad, the country cannot endure further displacement.

Despite the renewed violence, Bishop Jallouf expressed hope for strength, courage, and lasting peace, calling for stability in a nation exhausted by years of war.