Yezidi Families in Aleppo Appeal for Urgent Protection Amid Escalating Violence

ERBIL (Kudistan24) — Yezidi residents of the Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods in Syria’s Aleppo city have issued an urgent appeal for help as ongoing bombardment and forced displacement threaten their safety.

According to a statement released on Wednesday, approximately 1,200 Yezidi families living in the two predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods are facing intense shelling and eviction. The appeal was addressed to the Yezidi Spiritual Council in Iraq, Yezidi representatives in the Iraqi parliament, and Yezidi civil society organizations, calling for immediate intervention.

“We call on you to intervene without delay and contact the relevant parties in Syria, as well as the international community and humanitarian organizations, to prevent a massacre of the Yezidis who are besieged or displaced in the Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods,” the statement said.

The Yezidi community also expressed deep concern that the violence could lead to a repetition of past atrocities against religious minorities in Syria.

“We fear a tragedy similar to what occurred in Suwayda and along the Syrian coast,” the statement added. “We want to ensure that the Yezidis do not suffer the same fate due to their religious differences.”

The appeal concluded with a call for swift action to protect civilians and ensure the safety of their relatives trapped in the conflict zone.

The appeal comes amid escalating violence in Aleppo. Earlier on Wednesday, President Masoud Barzani voiced deep concern over the deteriorating security situation, warning that continued fighting threatens civilians and risks ethnic cleansing against the Kurdish population.

In a statement, President Barzani said Syria’s ongoing political changes present a “valuable opportunity” to reach a just and peaceful solution that respects the legitimate rights of the Kurdish people through dialogue. However, he described the current situation in Aleppo as “alarming,” stressing that escalating violence is endangering innocent lives.

He called on Syrian authorities to prevent political disputes from turning into ethnic conflict and urged them to protect Kurdish citizens from violence, forced displacement, and ethnic-based targeting. Barzani also appealed to Kurdish parties, particularly the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to take urgent steps to halt the fighting and prevent further bloodshed.

“Political conflict should never endanger civilian lives or lead to ethnic cleansing against the Kurdish people,” he said, warning that such acts constitute crimes against humanity.

The statement came as fighting intensified in Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh. Local officials reported civilian casualties following attacks by Damascus government factions and affiliated armed groups.

Nuri Shekho, co-chairman of the neighborhood councils, told Kurdistan24 that residents are facing sustained assaults using heavy weaponry from multiple directions.

“We are being attacked with heavy weapons, resulting in civilian casualties,” Shekho said, adding that at least eight civilians have been killed and 47 others wounded so far.

Meanwhile, the SDF’s Internal Security Forces have accused Damascus government factions of imposing a siege on Sheikh Maqsood and launching attacks with heavy weapons, warning that the actions amount to serious human rights violations.