The People’s Council of Şêxmeqsûd and Eşrefiyê, two densely populated neighborhoods in Aleppo, announced a decision to remain in their districts and organize defense efforts, rejecting what it described as calls to capitulate from armed factions linked to Syria’s Transitional Government.
According to the pro-Kurdish Fırat News Agency, the council said the neighborhoods have faced sustained bombardment since Jan. 6, with residents and local security forces continuing to resist despite escalating pressure and mounting civilian harm.
Heavy Shelling Reported; Schools, Mosques, and Homes Said to be Hit
In its statement, the council alleged that heavy weapons fire and shelling have targeted civilian sites, including mosques, schools, private homes, and service institutions, warning that the attacks appear aimed at triggering new displacement and altering the area’s demographic make-up. The council also claimed the violence undermines prior understandings—referencing agreements dated March 10 and April 1—and criticized what it called the silence of international guarantor and observer forces mentioned in those arrangements.
The council further alleged that the Transitional Government in Damascus is conducting operations under the banner of a “new Syrian army,” with support from Turkey and allied armed groups—a charge that could not be independently verified from the information provided.
“A Serious Humanitarian Crisis”
The statement described worsening humanitarian conditions in the two neighborhoods, which it said are home to hundreds of thousands of civilians. It reported dozens of injuries from intensive bombardment, stating that many of the wounded are women and children.
A central concern raised by the council was the reported bombardment of Xalid Fecir Hospital, which it said has been hit heavily and is now out of service, leaving few to no options for treating the injured locally. The council characterized the strike as a war crime and said long-standing restrictions on humanitarian access—combined with winter conditions—have intensified the crisis.
Council Rejects “Surrender” Calls, Urges Mobilization
The council said it does not believe it can entrust neighborhood security to authorities it accuses of recent abuses, and it framed its decision as a refusal to accept “surrender” demands directed at both civilians and local defense forces.
In a call to residents, the council urged people to support the wounded and mobilize to defend their neighborhoods, including by going to the hospital to assist where possible.
Aid Convoy Reportedly Dispatched; Residents in Northeast Syria Said to Prepare to Travel
Following the council’s announcement, the Kurdish Red Crescent organization Heyva Sor a Kurd reportedly stated that a 15-vehicle medical convoy set off toward Aleppo. Separately, reports said hundreds of civilians in areas including Cizir, Dêrazor, Rakka, Tebqa, and the Fırat canton were preparing to travel toward Aleppo, with local councils indicating broader readiness activities across multiple cities.
Deadly Strike Collapses a Building, Council-Linked Reports Say
In another incident described in the provided material, a shell allegedly hit a home in Şêxmeqsûd in the early hours of Jan. 7, causing a building collapse onto a family of six. The account said survivors—most of them children—remained trapped for roughly 16 hours due to ongoing bombardment that prevented immediate rescue. The father, identified as Hesen Mihemed Hesen (42), was reported killed.
The same reports claimed that, overall, 75 civilians were killed or wounded in attacks attributed to armed groups linked to the Damascus authorities and directly backed by Turkey, while warning that the toll could rise. They also alleged that summary executions of civilians occurred in Eşrefiyê—claims that would require independent verification.
Photo: ANF