The Internal Security Forces in northern and eastern Syria released the identity of a commander who fell in the resistance in Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood.
A few days before his death, Ziyad Heleb spoke about the situation in Aleppo in an internal conversation with fellow fighters: “We are the children of this country; we were born here, we grew up here, and we will stay here. We have never threatened anyone and have lived peacefully with the population for years. But if war is forced upon us, we will not sit idly by. We vow to protect our people and not allow anyone to wrong them. We will fight until our last breath. We have chosen death. There is no other choice for us. We will fight street by street, house by house. We will never take a step back; we will fight until the last of us has fallen. This resistance must be seen. We are the color of our people’s dignity. Our spirit is the expression of the sacrifice our people are making. Here we defend the dignity and existence of the Kurdish people.”
According to the statement on Sunday, Ziyad Heleb (Ziyad Qedur) was martyred on January 10. The commander had been leading the resistance against the troops and militias of Syria’s Islamist transitional government since the attacks began on Tuesday. Supported by Turkey, these groups carried out heavy attacks on the densely populated Kurdish neighborhoods in northern Aleppo. Several hundred people were killed and injured. The exact number of victims is not yet known.
In an obituary for the fallen commander, the Internal Security Forces paid tribute to all the martyrs of the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhood in his person and extended their condolences to the families of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives and to the patriotic people.
The Internal Security Forces statement on Sunday includes the following:
“Starting on January 6, 2026, mercenary groups affiliated with the interim government in Damascus attacked the neighborhoods of Ashrafiyah and Sheikh Maqsoud with all kinds of weapons and brutal methods. With the help of the Turkish state, Damascus-affiliated mercenaries carried out heavy attacks on our people using aerial and ground weapons. In response to these attacks, our resilient people and the security forces of both neighborhoods started putting up resistance and dealt heavy blows to the mercenaries. Many enemy tanks and armored vehicles were destroyed, and numerous mercenaries affiliated with Damascus were killed in each operation. As the enemy suffered heavy blows, they attacked the people even more ruthlessly. In response to these attacks, our people and our self-sacrificing forces fought at the highest level. Commander Ziyad Heleb, with his expertise and years of experience, led the war and resistance from the very beginning. Throughout the fighting, he fought shoulder to shoulder with his comrades and the people, serving as a source of morale and resistance. He advanced from position to position in the resistance and confronted the battle alongside his fighters. He put up historic resistance against mercenaries in every street and position in Ashrafiyah and Sheikh Maqsoud. He served as a shield against all attacks on our people until the very last moment of this unprecedented resistance. He embraced the line of sacrifice and struggle against the policy of surrender and crowned the historic resistance with his stance.
Comrade Ziyad Heleb, Commander-in-Chief of the Internal Security Forces, was born in Afrin in 1988. He grew up in a patriotic family with six siblings. In his youth, he lived in an environment marked by strong Kurdish sentiments, which made him work for his people and his country all the time.
With the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, he joined the resistance in Aleppo in the ranks of the YPG to defend his country and his people. Between 2011 and 2015, both the Baath regime and various militia groups attacked Aleppo. In response to these attacks, a revolutionary people’s war was launched in Aleppo. Our comrade Ziyad carried out powerful practical actions in these revolutionary popular uprisings and gained significant military experience. During this period, street-by-street and house-to-house battles took place in Aleppo. Throughout these uprisings, comrade Ziyad repelled all attacks with his military activities and fought selflessly for his people.
Commander Ziyad Heleb developed himself not only in the military field, but also in the ideological and political fields. With his natural personality, he earned a place in the hearts of all his comrades and was generally a leader in life. He was much loved in all the regions where he fought with a high sense of patriotism. Our people in Ashrafiyah and Sheikh Maqsoud, in particular, were very attached to him.
From the moment he joined the struggle for freedom, he continuously developed himself, educated himself, and gained expertise in the command structure. He reached the level of leadership in military, ideological, and political terms. Comrade Ziyad always felt the genocide committed against our people and carried out his militant duties with care. He participated in the work in a selfless spirit wherever needed.
Our commander Ziyad has taken his place in our revolutionary history as a symbol of selfless leadership. Despite calls to surrender, our commander chose to fight with honor, and his selfless attitude has become a great symbol and legacy for the historic resistance of all the peoples of Kurdistan.
We extend our condolences to the families of our commander Ziyad Heleb and to all patriotic people of Kurdistan on his martyrdom. In the name of our commander, we reiterate our promise and loyalty to our martyrs.”
The identity information of the fallen commander is as follows:
Nom de Guerre: Ziyad Heleb
First-Last Name: Ziyad Qedûr
Mother’s Name: Zeyneb
Father’s Name: Zeim
Place and Date of Martyrdom: Sheikh Maqsoud/Aleppo – January 10, 2026