Damascus Government Factions Launch Assault on Kurdish Neighborhoods in Aleppo, Officials Say
Damascus government factions have attacked Kurdish areas of Aleppo, prompting displacement and resistance by local security forces; the situation is still unfolding.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Damascus government factions and affiliated armed groups have begun an attack on the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo, according to statements from local security officials and reporting by Kurdistan24. The situation remains fluid, and this is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.
Farhad Shami said that “aggressors from Damascus government factions are launching an attack with heavy weapons on the Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafieh neighborhoods,” adding that the Internal Security Forces are engaged in “fierce resistance” to repel the assault and protect residents. His comments were carried by the Internal Security Forces – Aleppo Media Center.
Update
— Farhad Shami (@farhad_shami) January 7, 2026
Aggressors from Damascus government factions are launching an attack with heavy weapons on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods, while the Internal Security Forces are engaging in fierce resistance to repel the assault and protect the neighborhoods and their…
A Kurdistan24 reporter in Syria said the Damascus government factions has started attacking both neighborhoods. According to the report, the assault began early Wednesday morning, January 7, 2026.
The reporter said that since the early hours of the day, thousands of Kurdish citizens living in Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh have been displaced as a result of what was described as indiscriminate bombardment by Damascus government factions.
No figures were provided on casualties, and the extent of damage to civilian infrastructure was not specified.
Additional details have emerged from Arab media outlets, which reported that alongside the Damascus government factions, the Hamshat and Hamzat armed groups carried out attacks on the center of the town of Deir Hafer using explosive drones.
Those reports also said that artillery, mortars, and other heavy weapons were being used to shell Kurdish-inhabited areas in central Aleppo.
The Internal Security Forces in Aleppo said their units were continuing to confront the attack in an effort to defend the neighborhoods and their residents.
There was no immediate response available from Syrian government authorities regarding the allegations or the reported displacement.
Information regarding the scope of the military operations, the duration of the fighting, and the humanitarian impact remains limited. Reports from the ground continue to emerge, and independent verification of some claims was not immediately possible.
Kurdistan24 will continue to monitor developments closely and update this report as new and confirmed information becomes available.