Military tensions escalated in Aleppo today as the Syrian Army effectively sealed off the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods. This action follows renewed clashes with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), transforming the area into a closed military zone.
The situation intensified as a curfew took effect in the afternoon, with reports indicating that at least ten shells landed in the vicinity of Ashrafieh amidst heavy reciprocal shelling. Prior to the lockdown, Syrian Army operations command declared all SDF military positions within Aleppo neighborhoods as “legitimate military targets,” citing what they described as a “major escalation” by the SDF and the perpetration of “massacres against civilians.”
While the Syrian Army stated it had not initiated ground offensives into SDF-controlled areas, they affirmed their commitment to securing the safe passage of civilians. Field sources reported that approximately 80% of the residents had evacuated in response to the army’s call.
The Syrian Civil Defense announced the evacuation of over 3,000 civilians, primarily from the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh districts, through the Al-Awarid and Al-Zuhour Street crossings. They provided first aid and transported families to temporary shelters, including nine mosques throughout the city. Images showed residents fleeing towards the Al-Suryan neighborhood, while the Civil Defense evacuated 850 civilians from the Al-Awarid and Al-Zuhour areas.
The Syrian Interior Ministry reported that three security personnel were injured while securing the evacuation of residents due to artillery shelling allegedly carried out by the SDF near the Shihane roundabout in Aleppo. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) stated that SDF forces launched mortar shells and heavy machine gun fire towards the vicinity of the Shihane roundabout and neighborhoods within Aleppo. The Ministry of Defense accused the SDF of planting explosives on roads within the two districts and preventing civilians from leaving by firing upon and terrorizing them.
SDF Denies Allegations
Conversely, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) issued a statement denying any presence of their forces within the city of Aleppo. They maintained that they had handed over security responsibilities in the two neighborhoods to Internal Security Forces in a transparent and documented manner. The SDF has described the allegations as baseless.
