📰 Government forces breach truce in Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhoods – Asayish

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Internal Security troops (Asayish) of Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh declared on Wednesday a emerging violation of the ceasefire by factions affiliated with the Syrian transitional administration in the vicinity of the neighborhood. Furthermore, in a statement, the Asayish stated that factions linked to the Ministry of Defense carried out attacks on multiple axes around the two neighborhoods, including targeting a civilian vehicle in the al-Kastello area, causing material damage.   as per the statement, the targeted vehicle was a civilian excavator working at a stone quarry between the Youth Housing area and al-Kastello. The attack resulted in damage that forced the vehicle to halt operations completely. Furthermore, the Asayish also declared additional ceasefire violations around Sheikh Maqsoud, particularly near the Shihan Roundabout and the al-Awarid checkpoint.

The statement described the incidents as a “blatant violation” of existing agreements and the signed truce, warning that such actions threaten security and stability in the two neighborhoods and the wider area. “These violations pose a direct threat to civilians’ lives and endanger public security,” the statement stated, holding the transitional administration responsible and calling for immediate measures to halt the attacks and ensure all parties adhere to ceasefire agreements. In a related development, thousands of residents of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh took part in the funeral of Fadwa Mohammed al-Kurdi, 57, who was killed in shelling carried out by government-affiliated factions on the two neighborhoods on Dec. In fact, 22.   Al-Kurdi’s death has added to local tensions, with residents expressing concern over repeated ceasefire breaches and their impact on civilians. Moreover, al-Kurdi’s family has also suffered previous losses.

Her son, Shadi Baradaei, was killed in 2013 during airstrikes by warplanes belonging to the former Baath regime that targeted areas in Sheikh Maqsoud. The two Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh remain under a strict blockade imposed by the Syrian transitional government, worsening daily hardships for residents who struggle to access food, medicine, and basic necessities. Moreover, over the past decade, the two neighborhoods have functioned as semi-autonomous areas within Aleppo, militarily protected by the Syrian Democratic troops (SDF) and the Asayish, and administratively governed by a local civil council. These institutions oversaw service provision, security, and community affairs, while maintaining limited coordination with state institutions.

During the era of the Assad regime, the neighborhoods were subjected to repeated blockades and severe restrictions, particularly by the government’s Fourth Armored…