Politics

Syrian government continues to blockade Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo

Despite attempts by Russia to mediate between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces, no tangible results have emerged.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/04/16 20:35

The Syrian government has blocked supplies from entering the Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyyah for almost 34 days (Photo: ANHA)

Syria Sheikh Maqsoud Al-Ashrafiyyah Qamishlo Russia Aleppo Syria Internal Security Forces

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Syrian government continues to besiege the Kurdish-held neighborhoods of Al-Ashrafiyyah and Sheikh Maqsoud in Aleppo, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) war monitor reported on Saturday.

Despite Russian attempts to mediate between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces, the efforts have proved fruitless.

The website Sharq al-Awsat reported on Saturday that the commander of the Russian forces at the Hmeimim base held meetings in Qamishli between representatives of the Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria (AANES) and Syrian government officials.

“The agreement stipulated that the government forces allow the entry of foodstuffs, fuel, medicine, and other needs of civilians into the Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo,” the report said.

“In return, Asayish troops will hand over the Baath automatic oven [bakery], remove roadblocks, open the Qamishli Airport road, and ensure that each side returns to the agreed lines of contact.”

Asayish forces were seen entering the aforementioned buildings throughout the day; the area has been under Asayish protection and open to motorized vehicles since this afternoon.

The Asayish statement is likely a first step in AANES-SAR negotiations (pictured below). pic.twitter.com/KpvFc9lj8k
— Rojava Information Center (@RojavaIC) April 14, 2022

The agreement reportedly was supposed to come into effect soon, and there were already pictures published online last Thursday of Asayish officers talking with Syrian military officials in Qamishlo.

However, according to the SOHR report, the Syrian government continues to besiege the Kurdish-held neighborhoods of Al-Ashrafiyyah and Sheikh Maqsoud in Aleppo. The blockade has been ongoing for almost 34 days.

At the same time, the Asayish has prevented foodstuffs and flour supplies from entering regime-controlled areas in the cities of Hasakah and Qamishlo in the Hasakah province for eight days.

Due to the blockade, the bakery Al-Hasakah Al-Awal in Hasakah and Ba’ath bakery in Qamishlo stopped working.