The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria issued a statement regarding the attacks and crimes committed against the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah in Aleppo.
The statement said: “On 6 January 2026, the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods of Aleppo were subjected to a large-scale military assault carried out by groups affiliated with the Syrian Transitional Government’s Ministry of Defense, under a plan devised by Turkey and with the tacit support of international and regional powers.
This attack represents a new phase in targeting the Kurdish presence, an inseparable part of Aleppo’s population, and is a continuation of the grave violations and massacres committed against the residents of Syria’s coastal regions and the people of Suwayda governorate.”
The statement added: “These attacks, which lasted six days, were essentially an international assault against two neighborhoods. Thousands of members of armed groups carried out attacks using various heavy weapons. ISIS members also took part in the assault. Against these attacks and overwhelming numbers, the Internal Security Forces had only a few hundred members. It was an unequal war, devoid of human values, ethical principles, and international laws of war.
At the same time, our comrades within the ranks of the Internal Security Forces stood against this attack with historic and heroic resistance, protecting our people in both neighborhoods. Throughout six days of uninterrupted and courageous resistance against all kinds of heavy weaponry, our heroes made the greatest sacrifices. From the heroic commanders Ziyad and Azad, who repelled the fiercest attacks and led the resistance with unshakable determination, to our comrades Hawar, Dilbirin, Viyan, Feraşin, Rojbin, and Deniz, all demonstrated at the highest level their commitment to the values and cause of their people through their sacrifices. Their sacrifices will live forever in the hearts and minds of our nation.”
The statement continued: “The seizure of the two neighborhoods by armed groups affiliated with the Ministry of Defense cannot be described as a victory. On the contrary, it constitutes a betrayal and a grave crime committed by an authority that claims to represent the state, while massacring its own citizens and violating their dignity. An authority that claims to defend Islam desecrates bodies and commits blatant war crimes. Any authority that relies on another state against its own people loses its legitimacy, because the sole source of legitimacy is the people. The use of tanks and heavy artillery against residential areas reveals the weakness and fear of this authority. This will remain a stain in Syria’s history.
We declare that the true victory lies in the will of our people, who have resisted siege and injustice for decades under both the Baath regime and the transitional government, and in the resistance demonstrated by our heroes.
We also declare that the massacres, violations, and insults committed against our people and our martyrs will not go unpunished. Until those responsible are held accountable, these wounds will remain alive in our conscience.”
The statement underlined that “in light of the serious practices and violations that have occurred in recent days, we call on international and human rights organizations to monitor the humanitarian and security situation in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods. Our people are being subjected to brutal attacks, violations of human dignity, executions, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and demographic change. We also demand the presence of an international force in both neighborhoods to prevent further crimes. State security forces cannot be trusted, as they are led by individuals with extremist ideologies such as ISIS.
The real aim of this attack is demographic change; we therefore ask our residents in both neighborhoods to remain in their homes. We call on those who have been displaced to return. We are fully aware of the magnitude of the suffering endured by our people. As the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, we declare that we will mobilize all our material and moral resources to mitigate the effects of this war. We will stand by our people everywhere and under all circumstances.”