TUNIS, January 9. /TASS/. The Syrian army is preparing to strike the headquarters and positions of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Aleppo, the Al-Ikhbariya TV channel reported, citing the operational command.
According to the report, areas of the Kurdish neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsoud, which SDF and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters "use as a base for operations against Aleppo residents," will be targeted.
The command warned residents of the district to stay away from all SDF and PKK positions, adding that detailed information about the planned strikes will be published later.
The situation in Syria
On the night of January 8-9, Syria’s transitional Defense Ministry announced a ceasefire in Aleppo. Under the agreement, Kurdish forces were to withdraw from the areas of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiya and Bani Zaid, carrying only personal light weapons. The Syrian army, for its part, guaranteed their safe withdrawal.
However, some SDF fighters refused to surrender their positions and broke the truce by opening fire on government forces, insisting on continuing the fighting.
The situation in Syria’s unofficial capital escalated on January 6, when SDF units attacked government positions with drones, killing one soldier and wounding several others. In response to the ceasefire violation, the Syrian army destroyed a Kurdish ammunition depot in the Sheikh Maqsoud area. Intense clashes subsequently broke out in several parts of Aleppo.
According to the latest reports, the number of civilian casualties in the city from shelling by the Kurdish coalition has risen to nine, with at least 55 people wounded.