Asayish begin removing checkpoints in two Aleppo neighborhoods
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Internal Security Forces (Asayish) in Aleppo announced on Friday that they have begun removing the barriers at the entrances of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods, in a step they said aims to consolidate trust and support ongoing agreements.
In a statement issued by the Asayish in Aleppo, the force said the move comes within a series of measures “aimed at strengthening confidence and ensuring the success of the April agreement signed with the Interim Government and the two neighborhood councils.”
Mahmoud Ali Mardli, spokesperson for the Asayish in Aleppo, told North Press that removing the berms is part of demonstrating “our goodwill and supporting efforts to implement the agreement,” noting that the siege imposed on the two neighborhoods remains in place. He added that the force is committed to carrying out the agreements despite the existing restrictions.
Mardli stated that “there are groups supported from outside working to obstruct these agreements and push the situation toward conflict,” emphasizing that the Asayish remain committed to a political solution and see “no alternative to avoiding tension in the area.”
Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh, both home to a large Kurdish population, have faced repeated restrictions in recent years, affecting the movement of residents and the delivery of basic supplies. The Asayish, operating within the framework of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), have continued efforts to stabilize the neighborhoods and maintain local security despite ongoing pressures.