Syrian army declares Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud military zone as clashes with SDF escalate

Shafaq News– Aleppo

Syrian authorities on Friday declared Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood a closed military zone, imposing a full curfew as fighting with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) intensified, while new security measures in eastern Syria further restricted civilian movement.

In a statement, the Syrian army’s Operations Authority said a complete curfew would be enforced from 6:30 a.m. (local time) until further notice, urging residents to stay away from windows, shelter on lower floors, and avoid areas where SDF units are positioned.

Asim Ghayloun, head of media and communications at the Syrian army, said government forces destroyed what he described as an ammunition depot used by the SDF and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) inside the neighborhood. He rejected SDF claims that the site was a hospital, saying videos filmed by residents showed repeated secondary explosions consistent with stored munitions. He added that the army had taken what he called “humanitarian measures,” including opening evacuation corridors and extending exit deadlines.

The Internal Security Forces (Asayish) in Aleppo said their fighters struck a group of Syrian government forces operating around Sheikh Maqsoud, resulting in confirmed casualties among government troops. The group accused Damascus-aligned units of “intense and continuous shelling” of residential areas, including hospitals and service facilities.

The Asayish said clashes also continued near the Ashrafieh district, claiming to have killed 13 attackers, destroyed two armored vehicles, and captured two fighters, as government forces attempted to advance with tanks and armored units.

In eastern Syria’s Deir ez-Zor, authorities announced the closure of all river crossings from 5:00 p.m. Friday until further notice, with humanitarian cases exempted, and shut down the Raqqa–Deir ez-Zor road near the town of Maadan.

Officials said the measures were precautionary steps ordered by the Defense Ministry following the Aleppo clashes. Residents warned the closures could worsen humanitarian conditions, noting that river crossings are essential for access to hospitals, universities, and markets after repeated shutdowns of a makeshift Euphrates bridge.

Shafaq News correspondent reported that Raqqa now lacks any direct land route to government-controlled territory, complicating the movement of food, goods, and emergency medical cases. Military tensions remained high along the Euphrates, with reports of heavy SDF movements and warning fire along the riverbanks.

Earlier today, Syria’s Defense Ministry announced a ceasefire in parts of Aleppo and set a deadline for armed groups to withdraw from several neighborhoods. The Health Ministry said the violence, which began on January 6, killed four civilians and wounded 18 others, while Agence France-Presse reported at least 21 deaths overall.

The confrontation comes amid stalled efforts to implement an agreement aimed at integrating Kurdish administrative and military structures into Syria’s governing framework. Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh have remained under Kurdish control despite an April accord that envisaged the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters.