The Syrian transitional government is besieging and attacking thousands of Kurdish civilians in Aleppo – Stop the massacres of Kurds!
On 6 October 2025, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) met with U.S. Special Envoy Ambassador Tom Barrack and U.S. Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper to discuss political integration in Syria and the creation of a safe and unified country for all Syrians. These crucial discussions took place against the backdrop of alarming reports of intensified aggression by forces affiliated with the Syrian Transitional Government, led by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, against the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyah in Aleppo.
In recent days, Syrian troops linked to the transitional government have sealed off Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyah. These forces reportedly include elements of the Turkish-backed Sultan Suleiman Shah and Hamza Divisions, both implicated in serious human rights violations and war crimes, including massacres of Alawite and Druze civilians earlier this year.
Under the terms of an earlier agreement between Ahmet al-Sharaa and SDF Commander Mazlum Abdi regarding political integration, the SDF withdrew from Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyah, leaving only the Asayish internal security forces in place. Today, tens of thousands of civilians, including members of the Christian and Yazidi minority communities, find themselves besieged by heavily armed militiamen with known records of sectarian violence, fearing for their lives and safety. More than 50 civilians were injured by the use of firearms. In a statement the SDF declared on the ongoing tension the Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo: “What is happening in Aleppo is a direct result of provocations by the Interim Government factions and their attempts to advance with tanks”.
We are gravely concerned that the same forces responsible for attacks on Alawite communities in Syria’s coastal region in March 2025 and on the Druze, weeks later are now preparing to unleash similar violence on the Kurds of Aleppo, emboldened by the growing legitimacy conferred upon the authorities in Damascus despite these atrocities and the continued threats from the Turkish state against Syria’s Kurds.
Although a ceasefire was declared this morning, there is a possibility that the escalation may occur again, as Al Sharma’s approach to maintaining his position in domestic politics involves the use of violence.
We call upon the United Nations, the United States, the Arab League, and the international community to take urgent and decisive action to halt the Syrian Transitional Government’s assault on Aleppo’s Kurdish population. We further urge interim President al-Sharaa and the Damascus authorities to engage in peaceful political dialogue with the Kurds of Syria concerning political integration and the protection of the rights of all of Syria’s citizens and communities.
Executive Council of the Kurdistan National Congress
07.10.2025
