Syria
A picture taken from an elevated position shows a general view of Sheikh Maqsood neighbourhood in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on February 23, 2018. Photo: George Ourfalian/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Alarming activities are unfolding in Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of northern Aleppo, a local official told Rudaw on Sunday, cautioning of the potential for further escalation in the near future. The warning comes amid mutual accusations between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces over purported attacks against each other.
In a televised interview, Nouri Sheikho, co-chair of the General Council of the Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods, stated that “unusual movements targeting Kurds” have been observed in the area. He warned that “possible attacks might follow in the future.”
Describing the current situation in the Kurdish neighborhoods as “complicated,” Sheikho alleged that the Syrian government and its officials have, over the past 15 days, launched “a media campaign” against Kurdish-majority areas, warning of its potentially dangerous consequences.
His comments follow an incident reported on Monday by Kurdish-led internal security forces (Asayish) - affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - who said two of their members were injured after a “suicide drone” launched by the Syrian interim government struck a security checkpoint near Sheikh Maqsood.
Sheikho also highlighted the “ongoing circulation of drones,” noting that their increased presence has intensified fear among residents of the predominantly Kurdish quarters.
In response to the allegations, Syria’s defense ministry on Wednesday denied to Rudaw that its forces had carried out “any attacks” in Aleppo’s neighborhoods, including Kurdish-majority areas.
Instead, the ministry accused the Kurdish-led SDF of “launching several attacks” on Syrian army positions, including an alleged infiltration attempt in the Tal Ma'az area east of Aleppo, which it claimed resulted in the death of a Syrian soldier.
However, Sheikho firmly denied any such attack by Kurdish forces. “We have not moved even one meter into the territory under their [Syrian government] control and have remained in our own positions,” he stated.
On March 10, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a landmark deal to integrate “all civil and military institutions in northeast Syria [Rojava] under the administration of the Syrian state” and to enforce a “ceasefire across all Syrian territory.”
A follow-up agreement in April, reportedly brokered with US involvement, created a joint security framework for the Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods and included provisions for prisoner exchanges.
Despite the rising tensions, Sheikho reiterated the Kurdish desire for a peaceful resolution. “Kurds want to sit at the dialogue table as Syrian citizens and resolve our problems,” he said, emphasizing that they seek a solution free from “interference by neighboring countries.”
“We do not want this country to be fragmented,” he added, stressing that Kurds will not allow conflict to erupt in Aleppo because it is “not in anyone’s interest.”
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