As attacks on the two neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiah in Aleppo continued into their third day, the Internal Security Forces said in a statement that “nighttime bombardment and a suffocating siege are increasing the number of martyrs in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiah.”
8 dead, 57 wounded
The statement added: “As a result of attacks carried out by groups affiliated with the Damascus government on the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiah in Aleppo using artillery, rockets, tank fire, and unmanned aerial vehicles, the number of civilian martyrs has risen to 8 and the number of wounded to 57 civilians. For the third consecutive day, these groups continue to target residential areas where civilians live, maintaining a systematic and bloody escalation against civilians.”
Thousands of men deployed by armed groups
The statement added that “during the night, these groups intensified their bombardment of residential neighborhoods, taking advantage of the fact that people were in their homes in order to cause the maximum possible loss of life. At the same time, unmanned aerial vehicles continued to fly over the two neighborhoods, while new armored vehicles and tanks were deployed to the area, and thousands of armed fighters were amassed, including foreign nationals. These steps aim to further tighten the siege and increase humanitarian pressure.”
No advance made, electricity cut
The statement underlined that “on the ground, however, these groups were unable to make any advance on the Castello line thanks to the heroic resistance of the Internal Security Forces. As a result, and in a clear violation of international humanitarian law, they resorted to a policy of collective punishment by cutting off electricity and preventing the entry of food and medical supplies into the two neighborhoods.”
Indiscriminate bombing
The statement continued: “What is happening in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiah is an organized and bloody campaign carried out under the cover of official incitement, directly targeting civilians, using siege, indiscriminate bombardment, and starvation as tools to force the population into submission and impose a fait accompli by force.
We hold the party responsible for these attacks, as well as all forces that provide them with political and practical cover, fully accountable for these crimes and all their consequences, including the violation of the April 1 Agreement. We stress that the continuation of this aggressive approach will lead to extremely dangerous outcomes.”