Nuri Shekho, Co-Chairman of Neighborhood Councils, Reports Civilian Deaths in Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh
“We are being attacked with heavy weapons, resulting in civilian casualties,” Shekho said, adding that the neighborhoods have been targeted from eight directions.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Local officials reported civilian casualties on Wednesday as fighting intensified in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo amid attacks by Damascus government factions and affiliated armed groups.
Nuri Shekho, co-chairman of the neighborhood councils, told Kurdistan24 that the situation in the two neighborhoods is “very troubling and complex,” as residents come under sustained assault involving heavy weaponry.
“We are being attacked with heavy weapons, resulting in civilian casualties,” Shekho said, adding that the neighborhoods have been targeted from eight directions.
According to Shekho, at least eight civilians have been killed and 47 others wounded in the attacks. He noted that clashes have also caused casualties among members of the attacking factions, as residents continue to defend their homes.
Shekho called on relevant parties and the public not to remain silent, urging action to stop the violence and protect civilians.
The latest escalation follows accusations by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Internal Security Forces that Damascus government factions have imposed a siege on Sheikh Maqsood and are using heavy weapons against both neighborhoods.
The SDF said the attacks began early Wednesday and warned of serious human rights violations, including the alleged use of civilians as human shields. Thousands of residents have reportedly been displaced due to indiscriminate shelling, according to local sources.
There has been no immediate response from the Syrian government authorities regarding the allegations, and independent verification of some claims was not immediately possible.