Damascus-linked factions attack Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo – Asayish
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Internal Security Forces (Asayish) in Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh said on Friday that factions affiliated with the Damascus government launched a coordinated attack on their positions, escalating tensions and endangering civilians.
In a series of statements, the Asayish said the attack began near the Shihan Roundabout, where one of their checkpoints was struck by rocket-propelled grenades (RPG-7).
The forces released video footage it said documents the moment the assault was launched by Damascus-linked factions, rejecting claims that Asayish initiated the escalation.
According to the statements, the attacking factions used RPG-7s, heavy machine guns, and artillery, while also deploying tanks and heavy military vehicles to the vicinity of Ashrafiyeh neighborhood, describing the move as a “new escalation.”
The Asayish said one of its checkpoints was hit by two RPG-7 rockets, causing heightened tension in the area.
It added that their forces responded in a limited manner, strictly within the framework of legitimate self-defense, while stressing continued commitment to restraint.
The Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh, controlled by local security forces affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), have recently witnessed frequent bouts of tension and clashes with factions affiliated with the Syrian transitional government.
On Dec. 22, clashes erupted between the government-affiliated factions and the Asayish after the government’s General Security withdrew from the joint checkpoints with Asayish in the vicinity of the neighborhoods.
The factions used rockets, tanks, and artillery in their attack that resulted in the death of a 57-year-old woman and the injury of 17 others including two Asayish members, in addition to casualties in the government-run neighborhoods.
In an interview with North Press on Dec. 25, Nuri Sheikho, co-chair of the Kurdish Neighborhoods Council of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo city, said that the factions have imposed a “severe and unjust blockade” on two Kurdish neighborhoods, despite being formally affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense of the Syrian transitional government.
Sheikho told North Press that these factions are operating outside effective command and control, and they are violating the ceasefire and attempting to undermine agreements signed between Damascus and north and east Syria.