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The Syrian army on Thursday seized control of most of the Ashrafieh neighborhood in central Aleppo during major military operations against the terrorist SDF.
The campaign, launched in response to renewed SDF shelling that killed at least nine civilians and injured dozens since December 6, saw troops advance into Ashrafieh from the south, west, and north.
According to military sources, government forces breached SDF defensive lines and began securing the area with support from special units under the Ministry of Interior, and clearance operations are currently underway. Clashes persist in pockets of Ashrafieh and near Sheikh Maqsoud, where remaining SDF units are reportedly engaged in resistance against government forces.
Aleppo Governor Azzam Gharib stated Thursday that numerous SDF members had either defected or abandoned their positions. "Information received indicated that large numbers of SDF members had defected in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, while others had fled," Gharib said.
He added that internal security forces were preparing to fully deploy across the two neighborhoods to stabilize the situation and facilitate the return of displaced residents.
In a statement delivered via the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the government said the current escalation resulted from the SDF’s breach of a previously agreed-upon settlement on March 10, adding that the terrorist group had undermined earlier understandings and reignited instability in Aleppo.
It called for the complete withdrawal of all terrorist elements from Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud, describing their continued presence as an obstacle to civilian safety and any political resolution.
Shelter and essential services are being provided to displaced civilians, including Kurdish and Arab families, while preparations are underway for their secure and voluntary return, it added.
In a move aimed at restoring security, Syrian authorities imposed a full curfew across several northern Aleppo neighborhoods, including Ashrafieh, Sheikh Maqsoud, Bani Zeid, Al-Surian, Al-Hulluk, and Al-Midan.
The Aleppo Internal Security Command stated that the curfew would remain in effect until further notice and applies without exception to all movement in the designated areas.
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