The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched raid and arrest operations in eastern Aleppo countryside on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, as both the SDF-affiliated Internal Security Forces (Asayish) and Syrian government forces traded accusations of violating the fragile truce around the Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiya neighborhoods in northern Aleppo.
According to reports from Enab Baladi and Hawar News Agency, the military operations and ongoing tensions have displaced residents and raised fears of renewed fighting in the war-torn city. Syrian state-run al-Ikhbariya reported that the SDF campaign targeted the villages of Wadihah and al-Hayit in the eastern Maskanah countryside, though details regarding the number of detainees remain unclear.
A military source affiliated with the Syrian government, speaking anonymously to Enab Baladi, stated that the SDF raids primarily aim at recruitment, describing the targeted area as one of the strategic front lines. The source indicated that the eastern Maskanah countryside is considered militarily sensitive, prompting the SDF to intensify efforts to attract local recruits.
Syria's Interior Ministry issued a statement on its official Facebook account confirming that the Internal Security Command in Aleppo Governorate continues operating under heightened security measures to protect civilians and ensure their safe exit from the contested neighborhoods. The ministry accused the SDF of pressuring residents through forced conscription and cited violations including assaults, harassment, and threats to civilians' lives and property.
However, the Asayish issued a counter-statement accusing factions affiliated with the government's Ministry of Defense of committing new truce violations. According to their account, a civilian excavator was targeted while operating at a stone quarry between the Youth Housing area and Castello, causing material damage. Additional violations were reportedly recorded around Sheikh Maqsoud, particularly at the Shayhan roundabout and al-Awarid checkpoint.
Responding to these accusations, a military source told Enab Baladi that violations originated from the Asayish side, emphasizing that government forces did not initiate the escalation but merely responded to attacks on their positions.
Amid the tensions, Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the Foreign Relations Department of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, issued a statement urging residents of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh to remain in their homes. Speaking to ANHA agency, Ahmed questioned why military forces were besieging civilian-inhabited areas and called on the transitional government to exercise restraint and halt violations by its affiliated factions.
Ahmed confirmed that negotiations are ongoing to stabilize security through implementation of the April 1 agreement concerning Aleppo, stating, "We are determined to implement it."
The neighborhoods experienced a large-scale attack on December 22, involving tanks and artillery from multiple directions, which killed a woman and injured 19 civilians along with six Internal Security Forces members. Despite preliminary understandings reached afterward, gunfire continued over several areas.
The death toll from the recent violence rose to four killed and nine injured, according to the Aleppo Health Directorate. Intermittent displacement has continued since December 23, with families fleeing toward quieter neighborhoods amid fears of renewed escalation. Displacement has extended beyond the immediate conflict zones to nearby areas including Sheikh Taha, where residents have left as a precautionary measure.
Photo: Enab Baladi