SDF Accuses Syrian Government of Shelling Tishreen Dam and besieging Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo
The SDF accused Syrian government-linked forces of shelling the Tishreen Dam and besieging Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo, violating ceasefire agreements. Local councils condemned the attacks and reaffirmed support for the SDF as Syria's unifying force.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Wednesday accused armed groups linked to the Syrian Interim Government of systematically shelling the Tishreen Dam- which is located south of Kobani (Western Kurdistan)-and its surrounding areas with heavy weaponry, in what it described as a grave violation of ceasefire agreements and a direct threat to civilian lives and vital infrastructure.
In a statement released by the SDF Media Center, the group said that since the morning hours, forces affiliated with Damascus have been targeting the dam with tanks and field artillery. “Shells have directly struck the body of the dam, as well as workers’ housing and nearby villages, posing an extremely dangerous threat to civilian lives and creating the risk of a catastrophic disaster for essential facilities,” the statement read. The SDF underscored that such attacks escalate tensions at a time when de-escalation and the continuity of essential services are most needed. The group held the Damascus government fully responsible for these violations and their potentially disastrous consequences, affirming its right to defend its people and forces against any threat.
Roads Cut and Neighborhoods Isolated in Aleppo
Simultaneously, Syrian government forces escalated their actions in Aleppo by erecting new earth mounds around the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh, cutting off vital arteries that connect residents to other districts of the city. The measures included blocking the key road between Ashrafiyeh Park and Sheihan Roundabout, as well as closing the Gundul Roundabout, which serves as a crucial lifeline linking Sheikh Maqsoud to eastern Aleppo.
The closure of the Gundul checkpoint rendered it entirely inoperative, mirroring the earlier shutdown of the Lairamon checkpoint, deepening the isolation of both neighborhoods. These measures have further exacerbated the hardships of residents, complicating their mobility and obstructing access to essential needs. The latest fortifications and road closures also disrupted the functioning of joint checkpoints shared between the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) and government troops, undermining coordination and fueling tensions in the already volatile area.
SDF accuses Syrian forces of besieging Kurdish areas in Aleppo. Local councils denounce violations and voice support for SDF as national unifying force.
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In response to the escalating measures, the General Council of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh convened a gathering at the Zaytoun Roundabout in Aleppo’s Ashrafiyeh neighborhood. In a statement read publicly in Kurdish by Co-Deputy Chair Dunya Bakr, in Arabic by Co-Chair Hevin Suleiman, and in English by the Co-Chair of the Yazidi House, Manan Jaafar, the Council urged the Syrian Interim Government to uphold its commitments and hold accountable the armed groups violating the April 1 agreement. The assembly was attended by neighborhood residents, political party representatives, and members of civic institutions.
The Council’s statement recalled the collapse of the Baathist regime and the hope it once carried for security, peace, and reconciliation across Syria. “After decades of oppression, injustice, and crimes committed by the regime, we aspired to build a homeland where love and peace prevail. Yet today, violations by groups aligned with the Interim Government revive memories of those dark times,” the statement said.
Highlighting the role of the SDF as a national and inclusive force, the Council underscored that the group has been indispensable for safeguarding the unity of Syria’s land and people. “Since its formation, the SDF has stood as a national necessity, protecting all communities of North and East Syria, including Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, and Syriacs. It fought ISIS on behalf of the world, shedding the blood of its martyrs to defend Syria’s integrity,” the Council declared.
The statement rejected accusations from the Syrian Interim Government that the SDF does not represent the people of North and East Syria, calling them “baseless attempts to incite sectarianism under the direction of external powers.” It noted that Arab tribes had responded decisively by reaffirming their support for the SDF, which they view as a force inclusive of all Syrian communities and the sole guarantor of the country’s unity.
The Council strongly condemned recent actions by factions affiliated with the Interim Government’s Ministry of Defense, including cutting supply routes between Aleppo and North and East Syria, blocking fuel deliveries on the eve of winter, besieging the neighborhoods, building military berms, positioning armed vehicles toward residential areas, and directly targeting civilians. These, it stressed, constituted flagrant violations of both the March 10 agreement between SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi and Interim Government Prime Minister Ahmad al-Sharaa, as well as the April 1 agreement.
“These acts bring us back to the provocations of the Baath regime, which once divided the country and oppressed its people. We had hoped to build a homeland that embraced all Syrians in their diversity, but these violations are a betrayal of that vision,” the Council warned.
Residents of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh declared their full support for the SDF, describing it as the only force that has defended Syria’s identity, resisted partition, and championed women’s rights without marginalization. “The SDF represents us and represents all Syrians. It is the guarantor of unity and the safeguard against division,” the statement emphasized.
Concluding their appeal, the Council called on the Syrian Interim Government to adhere to its commitments and bring to justice the groups responsible for cutting roads and targeting civilians. “We hold it fully accountable for these actions and their consequences,” the Council said, reaffirming their call for unity around the SDF as the only inclusive national force capable of protecting Syria’s future.
