Communication with the Kurdish-dominated neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Asrafiyah in Aleppo has been completely cut off. Since January 6, the two neighborhoods have been the target of heavy attacks by the so-called Syrian army and militias operating with the active support of the Turkish state. According to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, several hundred people have been killed and injured and tens of thousands displaced.
Despite a ceasefire announced on January 11, attacks continue in other forms. According to local sources, there are raids on apartments, targeted arrests of young men, and repressive control measures in both neighborhoods. There are reports of extrajudicial executions in several areas. Attempts by families who fled to return home are also being systematically blocked. People who want to return to their homes are being turned away at checkpoints or threatened again.
The neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Asrafiyah, where more than half a million people lived, were repeatedly targeted by heavy air and ground attacks last week. The local government and human rights organizations such as the Kurdish Red Crescent spoke of massive war crimes. According to local sources, between 120,000 and 160,000 people were forced to flee. Hundreds of people are still missing.