Syrian Army Declares 2 Aleppo Districts Military Zones, Orders Full Curfew
Syria’s military on Wednesday imposed a full curfew and declared Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh—two long-disputed neighborhoods in Aleppo—closed military zones, saying intensified clashes with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) forced the move to protect civilians and enable operations.
In an official statement, the Operations Command of the Syrian Arab Army said it would treat all SDF positions in the districts as legitimate targets after what it called a “major escalation” and repeated attacks that it said caused civilian casualties. The army urged residents to keep their distance from SDF sites “for their own safety.”
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The curfew was set to begin at 3 p.m. local time on Wednesday, with civilians told to avoid movement until further notice. Before the lockdown took effect, the army said it opened two humanitarian corridors to allow residents to leave the neighborhoods.
The announcement followed days of reported violence in and around Aleppo, including drone strikes, shelling, and small-arms fire, with deaths and injuries reported among civilians and security personnel. Syrian authorities have blamed SDF-linked units for attacks on residential areas and security positions. The SDF has rejected responsibility and accused government-aligned forces of indiscriminate shelling.
Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh have repeatedly served as pressure points in Aleppo’s fractured security map, shaped by years of war, shifting front lines, and overlapping armed control. The latest flare-up comes as political talks remain stuck over a March 2025 agreement meant to fold SDF-run forces and institutions into the Syrian state—an aim complicated by mutual distrust, local power realities, and outside interests in northern Syria.
