Syrian Army Launches Operation to Drive Kurdish Forces from Sheikh Maqsoud Neighborhood in Aleppo

SadaNews - The Syrian army announced on Friday evening the launch of a security operation to expel the Kurdish forces from Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in Aleppo, after Kurdish factions rejected the Syrian government's request to withdraw fighters from the area.

Two Syrian security officials stated that the army would forcibly take control of Sheikh Maqsoud, a stronghold for the Kurdish forces in Aleppo, following the failure of the ceasefire in the city, according to Reuters news agency.

The Syrian army announced the start of a sweep operation in Sheikh Maqsoud to remove elements of the "Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)". It stated that "as soon as the sweep operations end, the neighborhood will be handed over to the security forces and state institutions to begin their work."

The Syrian army indicated that elements of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and "SDF" killed more than 10 Kurdish youths who refused to fight alongside them.

The Syrian television reported that the army shelled SDF positions in Deir Hafer in the Aleppo countryside.

A self-administration official in northern and eastern Syria stated that the administration welcomes initiatives from international guarantors to cease fire and secure civilians in Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, indicating that "protecting civilians" in the neighborhood represents a "top priority" for the administration.

Defection

Earlier yesterday, a Syrian security source announced the defection of 100 members of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" in the northern city of Aleppo, noting that the internal security forces have secured them, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

This comes hours after the Ministry of Interior announced the deployment of internal security forces in the Ashrafiya neighborhood of Aleppo, as part of a plan to restore security and stability in the neighborhoods that have recently been handed over to the state, following the withdrawal of armed Kurdish groups affiliated with the "SDF".

SANA reported, citing a military source, that the "SDF" bombed civilian and security sites in the northern city of Aleppo using Iranian drones, causing injuries to several people.

The agency pointed out, quoting one of its sources, that elements of the "PKK" assisted SDF members in burning the homes of citizens who left Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood.

Syrian media reported that a huge munitions depot for the "SDF" was destroyed in Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood. The Syrian Ministry of Defense stated that "it is not true that the SDF targeted a hospital in Aleppo... the target was a munitions depot."

For its part, the "SDF" announced the downing of a drone belonging to government forces and affiliated factions in Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood.

Curfew

Earlier, the Syrian army called on residents to evacuate areas in a Kurdish neighborhood in Aleppo before it was shelled, accusing the "SDF" of using them for military purposes, just hours after announcing a ceasefire.

SANA published maps prepared by the army for sites in Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood that it intends to "target", urging residents to "evacuate immediately", accusing the "SDF" of using it as a "military site to bombard neighborhoods and residents of the city of Aleppo".

A military source told SANA that army drones monitored the "SDF" closing roads and terrorizing residents inside Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, preventing them from leaving, with the aim of using them as human shields while targeting army and security forces.

The Syrian television reported that the army operations authority declared Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood a "closed military zone", imposing a complete curfew in the neighborhood, starting at 6:30 PM "until further notice".

The army's operations authority recommended that civilian residents inside the neighborhood stay away from windows, go to lower floors, and be cautious of approaching "SDF" positions.

Refusal to Evacuate

For its part, the "SDF" announced that Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood is being subjected to "intense and heavy shelling by factions affiliated with the Syrian government", and that government forces are attempting to advance with tanks amidst fierce and ongoing resistance from their elements.

The army had announced the opening of a crossing between 4 PM and 6 PM (13:00 and 15:00 GMT) for civilians to leave "Sheikh Maqsoud", while calling on Kurdish fighters to "lay down their arms". A reporter from the French Press Agency reported seeing several residents leaving the area near Sheikh Maqsoud.

The Kurdish forces announced earlier on Friday their refusal to leave the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiya in Aleppo, after the authorities stated that their evacuation would take place within hours following a ceasefire that ended days of bloody clashes.

The Syrian Ministry of Defense stated in a statement early on Friday that the ceasefire began at 3:00 AM, demanding that armed groups in the neighborhoods leave the area within a deadline starting from the ceasefire until 9:00 AM on Friday.

It confirmed that the militants could leave carrying only their light personal weapons, adding that the Syrian army "pledges to secure their escort, ensuring their safe passage until they reach areas in the northeastern part of the country".

Syria-Turkey Discussions

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on Friday that Minister Assad al-Shehbani discussed with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, over the phone, developments in the situation in the city of Aleppo.

The ministry stated in a statement that Fidan confirmed Turkey's support for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the two ministers discussed coordinating efforts to support stability in Syria and combat threats affecting its security in a manner that achieves the security and stability of both countries.

Deadly clashes broke out on Tuesday in the Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiya in the city of Aleppo between Kurdish and government forces, resulting in 21 deaths, with both sides exchanging accusations of igniting the violence. These developments come amidst stalled negotiations between Damascus and the "SDF" since the signing of an agreement in March that stipulated the integration of Kurdish self-administration institutions within the framework of the Syrian state.