Ongoing clashes between the government and the opposition vacate the western outskirts of Aleppo
Aleppo – North-Press Agency
Ali al-Agha
The western neighborhoods of Aleppo have turned into a contact line between the Syrian government forces and the Turkish-backed armed groups, which led to the displacement of the local people fearing of the intermittent shelling and occasional infiltration.
The western neighborhoods of Aleppo are subjected to sporadic shelling and infiltrations by the Turkish-backed armed groups, causing violent clashes between them and the Syrian governmental forces, in addition to random gunshots that hit the houses of civilians residing in these neighborhoods.
Most of the residents of the neighborhoods (al-Zahra and Halab al-Jadida) have left their homes as a result of the intermittent shelling, clashes and sniping operations by those armed groups affiliated with Turkey, which have become a major threat to the lives of local citizens, according to special sources who told North-Press. More than 27 people were targeted during the last year through sniping operations, where al-Zahraa neighborhood in Aleppo lacks street lighting, so the residents of the neighborhood are afraid to go out during the night due to the security chaos prevailing in the neighborhood.
The Turkish-backed armed groups control some streets in al-Zahraa neighborhood, while the Syrian government forces control most of its streets.
The area of 3,000-apartment project which is some 4 km away from the control areas of the armed opposition groups has become nearly empty as a result of continuous shelling from several axes, such as al-Rashidin, al-Bohouth, and the axis of al-Leramoun Roundabout, while the Syrian forces from this area target the positions of the armed opposition groups.
Regarding al-Assad suburb of Aleppo city, which it has turned into a military zone for the Syrian forces, as the forces have put their heavy machinery, causing fears among local people for their houses and properties of being targeted by the armed groups.
The state of instability is not limited to the neighborhoods that have turned into front lines. Also, al-Sabil, Nile Street, Salah al-Din, al-Shihan and Hamdaniya neighborhoods that the armed groups target from time to time live in a state of instability and unsafety, as the bombing of the armed groups on these neighborhoods caused more than 13 civilian casualties, in addition to more than 148 people have been wounded by shrapnel in the past six months.
Citizen Abdel-Razzaq al-Qatirji, a resident of al-Zahraa neighborhood confirmed that their area has almost been empty of its residents due to the shelling, in addition to their inability to roam in the neighborhood under fears of being targeted by snipers. Al-Qatirji also noted that there are no open shops in al-Zahraa neighborhood, because the residents are afraid of infiltration by the armed groups, indicating that the frequency of shelling between the two sides increases every Thursday, forcing the remaining residents of the neighborhood to leave.
Farid Krassi, a resident of Halab al-Jadida neighborhood, explained that they are unable to withstand sniping and shooting at their passing vehicles from behind the barricades set by the Syrian government forces in order to protect them from sniping, while stressing that he changed his car windows more than three times due to the bombing of the armed opposition groups.
Turkish-backed armed groups on Monday shelled al-Zahraa, al-Siriyan and al-Shihan roundabout with more than 17 shells, injuring four people, in addition to material damage of the local people’s properties.