The Syrian government is considering taking action to neutralize what it describes as “terrorist and criminal elements” in the Sheikh Maqsood neighborhood of Aleppo, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry. Nour Eddin al-Baba, a spokesperson for the ministry, warned that if the opposing side remains intransigent, the state may be forced to intervene.
Speaking to DZWatch, al-Baba stated that the Syrian government remains open to dialogue and diplomacy. He emphasized that any individuals who lay down their arms will be welcomed and treated in accordance with international humanitarian law. However, he asserted that the government has been compelled to consider military options due to the alleged obduracy of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) leadership in implementing the March 10th agreement and their purported targeting of residential areas in Aleppo.
Earlier reports indicated that the Syrian Army Operations Command declared Sheikh Maqsood a closed military zone. Security forces reportedly entered the Ashrafieh neighborhood of Aleppo following clashes with SDF forces, while the situation in Sheikh Maqsood remains uncertain.
Al-Baba accused militants affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) of refusing to leave Sheikh Maqsood, thereby risking its transformation into a military zone. He alleged that these militants have burned homes belonging to residents who have fled the area and executed young Kurds who refused to take up arms against the Syrian state. He further claimed that the Syrian authorities have opened several safe humanitarian corridors in the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsood neighborhoods and have granted numerous extensions for civilians to evacuate.
The Syrian official emphasized that the government’s primary goal is to ensure the safety of civilians in Aleppo and that its strategic objective is the implementation of the March 10th agreement signed with the SDF. Al-Baba also alleged that a significant number of remnants from the previous regime, particularly members of the state security and political security branches, fled to the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsood neighborhoods after the liberation of Aleppo. He claimed that these individuals have joined forces with the PKK to fight against the Syrian government. He stated that the Syrian government has detailed information about these elements.
