Curfew Imposed Amid Renewed Clashes in Northern Aleppo Neighborhoods
Forces affiliated with Abu Muhammad al-Julani have announced the start of a curfew in several neighborhoods of Aleppo city and reported that a checkpoint belonging to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Ashrafieh neighborhood was targeted in an attack. According to these forces, this action followed on-the-ground clashes and no harm was caused to civilians.
In a statement released by these forces, the SDF checkpoint in Ashrafieh was stopping local residents and creating an atmosphere of intimidation that restricted people’s movement. Meanwhile, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that a member of the forces affiliated with al-Julani was wounded in the al-Siryan neighborhood of Aleppo as a result of SDF artillery shelling.
Aleppo’s Social Affairs Directorate stated that due to the escalation of fighting, the number of displaced people from the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods has reached approximately 140,000, a development that has heightened concerns about the humanitarian situation in these areas.
At the same time, an Al Jazeera reporter has reported heavy clashes and shelling around the Ashrafieh neighborhood and added that forces affiliated with al-Julani are advancing toward the outskirts of Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods. Aleppo’s Health Directorate also announced that as a result of SDF shelling, at least five people have been killed and 33 others wounded.
According to a previous announcement, the curfew has been in effect from 1:30 PM local time until further notice in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and Bani Zeid. The announcement urged civilians to avoid SDF positions, while forces affiliated with al-Julani claimed they are working to ensure the security of residents wishing to leave these neighborhoods.
