AANES opens channels with US, France, Turkey over Aleppo
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria’s External Relations Department, said on Thursday that there is ongoing communication with Washington, Paris, and Ankara regarding recent developments in Aleppo.
She noted efforts for these states to play a mediating role between AANES and Damascus to prevent escalation. “We try to have these countries act as mediators between us and Damascus,” Ahmed said in an interview with Shams TV. “We aim to use the language of reason and logic to resolve issues without escalation or committing massacres,” she added.
Ahmed stated that attacks on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods are not new, recalling past sieges and assaults. “During the former regime, there were also attacks and a siege, and despite the fall of the regime, the siege and attacks on Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh continue,” she said.
She said AANES remains in contact with Damascus to secure calm. “We are in communication with Damascus so there will be de-escalation without greater escalation. We support peace, dialogue, and resolving issues,” Ahmed noted. Emphasizing the need to protect civilians, she urged restraint and local mechanisms to stabilize conditions in Aleppo’s northern districts, where interruptions to access and services have periodically occurred.
The Kurdish politician said that several factions committed massacres in Latakia and Suwayda and are now positioned near Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud. “I do not know what the Syrian government gains by provoking such violations every time,” she said. Her remarks reflect concerns that renewed pressure on these areas could disrupt community security and humanitarian access.
The AANES official stressed that the solution must remain “Syrian-Syrian” and warned that regional interventions complicate progress. “When there is intervention from regional powers with interests in Syria, that creates an obstacle,” she said, referencing Turkey’s long-standing approach to the Kurdish question. Turkey cites security concerns, Ahmed added, but framed the Kurdish issue as one of legitimate rights that should be handled within a rights-based perspective rather than a security file.
Ahmed concluded that AANES hopes Turkey can help reduce tensions. “We hope Turkey plays a role in de-escalation,” she said.