Shelling on Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhoods kills woman, wounds 17 civilians
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – One woman was killed and at least 17 civilians were wounded on Monday after Damascus government-affiliated factions shelled the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Media Center said.
In a series of statements, the SDF said the attack involved rockets, tanks, and artillery targeting densely populated residential areas.
The latest toll includes the 57-year-old woman Fadqa Mohammed al-Kurdi who succumbed to her injuries, while six members of the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) were also wounded.
The escalation followed an earlier assault on a checkpoint at Shihan Roundabout, which injured two Asayish members.
The SDF said the shelling continued despite an April 1 agreement under which its forces handed over positions in the city to the Asayish and the security forces of the Syrian transitional government.
The SDF rejected accusations by Damascus authorities that its forces targeted neighborhoods in Aleppo, calling the claims “fabricated.”
It denied reports alleging an attack on al-Razi Hospital, saying field evidence and multiple videos document tank and artillery fire by government-affiliated factions on Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh.
According to the SDF, video footage shows the government’s General Security forces withdrawing from a joint checkpoint shortly before the clashes, describing the move as a “premeditated step” that paved the way for the assault.
The SDF indicated that the continued shelling of areas home to more than 1.5 million civilians constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and warned that the escalation threatens civilian lives and Aleppo’s security.
Although they have long served as safe havens for thousands of displaced families from Afrin Kurds and across Syria, the two Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh remain under a strict blockade imposed by the Syrian transitional government, worsening daily hardships for residents who struggle to access food, medicine, and basic necessities.
Over the past decade, the two neighborhoods have functioned as semi-autonomous areas within Aleppo, militarily protected by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Asayish, and administratively governed by a local civil council. These institutions oversaw service provision, security, and community affairs, while maintaining limited coordination with state institutions.
During the era of the Assad regime, the neighborhoods were subjected to repeated blockades and severe restrictions, particularly by the government’s Fourth Armored Division, which controlled surrounding checkpoints. The siege often prevented the entry of essential goods, including food, medicine, and fuel, creating acute humanitarian suffering among residents. Periodic tightening of the blockade was used as a pressure tool against the local administration and residents, who were largely independent from Damascus’ direct authority.
On Oct. 6, 2025, the two neighborhoods experienced clashes between the Kurdish Asayish forces, that control the neighborhoods, 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.
Under the April 1 agreement between the Civil Council of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh and the Syrian transitional government, the SDF withdrew its military forces from the neighborhoods and handed them to the Asayish. 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.