Damascus labels SDF sites targets in Aleppo; Ilham Ahmad warns
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syria’s Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that military positions belonging to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) inside Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods are considered legitimate military targets, citing what it described as a major escalation by the SDF.
In a statement issued by the Army’s Operations Command, the ministry urged civilians to immediately distance themselves from SDF positions and announced the opening of two “safe humanitarian corridors” — al-Awarid crossing and al-Zohour Street crossing — until 3:00 p.m.
The announcement drew sharp criticism from Ilham Ahmad, a Co-Chair of the Foreign Relations Department of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), who said in a post on X that the Defense Ministry’s statement amounts to “declaring war” on two densely populated civilian neighborhoods.
Ahmad said Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh are home largely to forcibly displaced residents from Afrin and accused the ministry of declaring a “war of extermination” against Kurds who, she said, had already suffered under the previous Syrian government.
She added that the two neighborhoods had been under a tight siege by forces affiliated with the Defense Ministry.
Despite Kurdish adherence to the April 1 agreement, Ahmad said the other side failed to uphold its commitments. She added that repeated attempts by Kurdish representatives to open talks were rejected by the Defense Ministry.
Ahmad called on officials in the transitional government to assume responsibility for the unfolding situation and to pursue dialogue and “the path of reason,” urging an end to warfare and military confrontation.
She also appealed to Syrians, particularly youth, to reject war and raise their voices for peace, saying Syrians have endured enough conflict.
The Defense Ministry’s statement comes amid ongoing military escalation in Aleppo’s northern neighborhoods, where days of clashes and shelling have resulted in civilian casualties and heightened humanitarian concerns, according to local and rights groups.