Statement Issued by the General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces Regarding the Attacks on Aleppo

The General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) affirms that the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh have been under complete siege by factions of the Damascus government for more than six months. These neighborhoods do not, under any circumstances, constitute a military threat, nor can they serve as a launching point for any attack on the city of Aleppo.

The allegations promoted by bloodthirsty circles within Damascus-affiliated factions, claiming the existence of intent or military movement by our forces from these neighborhoods, are false and fabricated. They are used as a pretext to justify the siege, shelling, and massacres committed against civilians.

We categorically affirm that the Syrian Democratic Forces have no military presence in the city of Aleppo, and that we withdrew openly and in a documented manner in front of the media, in accordance with a clear agreement, after which the security file was handed over to the Internal Security Forces. Reintroducing these baseless arguments serves no purpose other than providing political and military cover for the ongoing brutal attack on safe residential neighborhoods.

We call on the guarantor states, as well as the responsible authorities within the Syrian government that claim concern for national unity, to assume their immediate responsibilities and work to promptly halt the siege, shelling, and military assault targeting innocent civilians in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, without any justification.

We warn that the continuation of this aggression against civilians will lead to serious repercussions that will not be limited to Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh or to the city of Aleppo alone, but will risk plunging all of Syria back into an open battlefield. Full responsibility for this will rest with those who persist in choosing the use of force against civilians.

The General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces is closely and very sensitively monitoring the situation, in coordination with all parties committed to the safety and security of our people in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh. It affirms that the siege, threats of force, targeting of civilians, and the use of civilians as pressure tools or human shields constitute crimes that are rejected and condemned by all legal and humanitarian standards.

General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces
January 7,2026

https://sdf-press.com/en/?p=19551