Syrian authorities reopen roads to Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Syrian authorities partially reopened on Thursday three roads leading to the Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo, northwestern Syria, allowing pedestrian movement for the first time since recent security tensions.
North Press correspondent reported that the roads were reopened in the morning to allow residents to move between the two neighborhoods on one side and the other neighborhoods, though vehicle traffic has not yet been permitted.
A local source said that vehicle passage is expected to resume soon in both directions through the newly reopened routes — al-Awarid Bridge, the al-Siryan crossroad, and al-Shihan Roundabout.
The reopening represents the first easing of restrictions imposed earlier this week following clashes and heightened tensions in the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods.
Earlier on Thursday, Hevin Suleiman, co-chair of the Kurdish Neighborhoods Council in Aleppo, warned of a looming “humanitarian disaster” if forces of the Syrian transitional government continue to block access to the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods.
The recent tensions in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods erupted earlier this week after Syrian government forces imposed a blockade on the Kurdish-majority areas, restricting the entry of food, fuel, and medical supplies.
On Oct. 6, the two Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh experienced clashes between the Kurdish Asayish forces and the security forces of the transitional government after the latter closed all entrances to the neighborhoods, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.
The clashes led to the injury of at least 15 people of the Kurds who suffered suffocation after government forces used tear gas. Also a government source reported the killing of three members of the security forces and four civilians in addition to the injury of others following the escalation of clashes and shelling in the area.
In April 2025, the SDF withdrew its military forces from the neighborhoods following an agreement reached between the Civil Council of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh and the Syrian transitional government. The deal recognized the neighborhoods’ distinct security, administrative, and service status and established a framework for cooperation with relevant institutions in Aleppo to safeguard stability and ensure the continuation of local governance and essential services.