#Ilham Ehmed# , Co-Chair of the Foreign Relations Department of DAANES, presented documents detailing how the attacks on Aleppo's Kurdish neighborhoods took place, the war crimes committed, and which forces were involved.
Ilham Ehmed, Co-Chair of the Foreign Relations Department of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), made a detailed statement regarding the attacks directed against Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo last week.
Ehmed explained in detail which forces participated in the attacks on three neighborhoods where more than 500,000 civilians lived and the crimes committed.
‘Seven members of my family were killed by a drone strike’
Ilham Ehmed revealed in a press conference on Zoom that seven members of her own family were killed by a drone strike in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood: They were hit by a drone while inside a bus, and seven members of my family died there. In addition, the number of civilians who have lost their lives so far is very high. People's homes have been looted. The bodies of female fighters were thrown from high places.
The statement signed by Ilham Ehmed reads as follows:
“Since December 23, 2025, the Syrian government and its affiliated forces have been imposing a comprehensive siege on the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyah, and Bani Zayd in the city of Aleppo. These neighborhoods are home to more than 500,000 civilians, including nearly 55,000 Kurdish families, as well as thousands of Kurds who were forcibly displaced from the Afrin region, which was occupied by Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) groups in 2018.
‘A continuation of long-standing efforts to isolate the Kurdish population in northern Syria’
This siege is a continuation of long-standing efforts to marginalize and isolate the Kurdish population in northern Syria, representing a continuation of the collective punishment and ethnic targeting documented since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. These neighborhoods had remained relatively stable compared to other war-ravaged areas until this new military escalation.
The seven access routes to Kurdish neighborhoods were also closed by Defense Ministry checkpoints, with only one route left intermittently open under heavy military control. This blockade severely restricted the entry of essential supplies such as food, medicine, fuel, and humanitarian aid, further exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. The siege violates international humanitarian law principles by depriving hundreds of thousands of civilians of their basic livelihood and health services, and amounts to collective punishment.
Despite repeated attempts to communicate with Syrian government representatives and official meetings requesting the lifting of the siege or pursuit of permission for basic necessities to enter, no response or assistance was provided. This situation further increased the suffering of civilians and heightened the risk of starvation and disease.
The launch of the attacks
On January 6, 2026, groups affiliated with the Damascus government launched a large-scale military onslaught on the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud. The units participating in the attack included the Syrian Army's 60th, 62nd, 72nd, and 86th Divisions. These units were supported by armored vehicles, heavy artillery units, Grad and Katyusha rocket launchers, mortars, DShK heavy machine guns, and suicide drones.
The attack deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure and residential areas, clearly violating the laws of armed conflict that require a distinction between military and civilian targets. The first-ever use of suicide drones against civilian population centers indicates a strategy to terrorize civilians and break their resistance.
The aggression began with suicide drone strikes targeting civilian areas, followed by indiscriminate bombardment of residential areas where unarmed civilians lived. As tanks and armored vehicles advanced toward Kurdish neighborhoods, civilians in neighboring areas were forcibly removed from their homes. Snipers were deployed to high-rise buildings surrounding the neighborhoods.
Despite the dense civilian population, the Syrian Ministry of Defense declared the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah ‘military zones’. Following this designation, heavy weapons were used in residential areas and indiscriminate bombardment took place. This act raised serious concerns over attempts to legitimize the violations of the principle of distinction and the protection of civilians under international humanitarian law.
On January 8, the attack intensified with the involvement of hardline jihadist groups such as Asaib al-Hamra (Red Bands), which was previously affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Significant reinforcements arrived from Idlib and other provinces. Turkey-backed SNA groups participated in the operation, while Turkish reconnaissance drones (Bayraktar) provided aerial surveillance and intelligence support. From the morning of January 8, operations were directed by Syrian Army Chief of Staff Major General Ali al-Naasan.
The involvement of both regular Syrian army units and extremist groups in the conflict, along with the complicity of foreign actors, highlights the complexity of the alliances that have enabled the continuation of violations and war crimes in the region. The attack was carried out with intense bombardment using tanks, heavy artillery, rocket systems, mortars, and numerous suicide drones carrying high explosive payloads, causing widespread destruction to civilian infrastructure.
Ground attacks and targeting of medical facilities
After more than twelve hours of continuous bombardment, Syrian army factions launched coordinated ground attacks on Kurdish neighborhoods at around 9:00 p.m. on January 7 and advanced along three main axes.
On January 8, the Othman Hospital in Ashrafiyah and Khalid Fajr Hospital in Sheikh Maqsoud, the only functional hospital in the area, were bombed multiple times. The attacks caused serious structural damage, rendering the Khalid Fajr Hospital completely unusable while wounded civilians, patients, and medical staff were still inside. Several health workers were killed, which constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
Medical facilities are protected under the Geneva Conventions, and attacks on these facilities may constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law.
The occupation of Ashrafiyah and continued attacks on Shaikh Maqsoud
Between January 9 and 10, Ashrafiyah was completely occupied by the attacking forces. Military operations then intensified in Sheikh Maqsoud. Civilians, including the wounded, children, the elderly, and entire families, were trapped in the hospital despite it being out of service. Continued bombardments caused new casualties among civilians and medical personnel. The hospital continued to serve as the last refuge for civilians who could not escape.
Civilians, including the wounded, children, and the elderly, were trapped inside and around Khalid Fajr Hospital while the bombardment continued. International humanitarian law prohibits the use of civilians and medical facilities in a manner that exposes them to attack, and such behavior may be considered serious violations.
Ceasefire and mandatory evacuation
Following the agreement reached on the evening of January 10 through the mediation of international actors, the ceasefire came into effect in the early hours of January 11. The agreement facilitated the evacuation of the dead, wounded civilians, and the remaining members of the Internal Security Forces from Sheikh Maqsoud to areas in northeastern Syria. Subsequently, the fighting ended and the Internal Security Forces withdrew from the neighborhood.
Although the ceasefire provided temporary relief, the long-term humanitarian and political consequences remain a major cause for concern.
Humanitarian disaster
According to local administrative records and incomplete documentation, during the attacks that took place between January 6 and 10:
a) 47 civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, were killed.
b) 133 civilians were injured.
c) At least 276 civilians went missing, and most of them are believed to have been arbitrarily detained.
Human rights organizations warn that these figures likely underestimate the actual number of casualties due to limited access, ongoing detentions, and the critical condition of many wounded.
Following the attacks, there was a mass exodus, and an estimated 148,000 to 155,000 Kurdish civilians were forcibly displaced from Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo.
Foreign elements and documented war crimes
Foreign fighters played a documented role in the attacks, as confirmed by photographs and videos released by the perpetrators themselves. This evidence confirms that serious violations constituting war crimes have been committed.
Documented cases:
All visual and witness statements referenced above have been archived, time-stamped, and stored to ensure the integrity of the evidence.
*Fighters wearing ISIS insignia who clearly participated in the attacks on Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah during live media broadcasts.
*Halil Yavuz, a Turkish citizen and member of the Turkish Wolves Union, was recorded boasting about the siege and threatening civilians with death.
*Egyptian citizen Ahmed Mansour was filmed participating in the killing and dismemberment of a female member of the Internal Security Forces. Mansour is also alleged to have been involved in previous massacres committed on the Syrian coast and in Suwayda.
*Samit Dagol (Abdul Samad), a Turkish citizen wanted for links to ISIS and Al-Qaeda, disguised himself as a journalist affiliated with Asaib al-Hamra during the attacks.
*Members of the Turkish Wolves Union are abducting Kurdish youths, and there are reasonable fears that these youths will be summarily executed.
Other documented violations:
* Use of tanks and heavy weapons in densely populated residential areas near Khalid Fajr Hospital
* Direct targeting of the Grand Mosque in Sheikh Maqsoud under false pretexts
*The dragging, dismemberment, and desecration of corpses accompanied by racist and sectarian insults
*The abuse and humiliation of detained civilians, including families and the elderly
*Statements from civilian witnesses describing widespread terror, looting, and abuse during the five-day assault
Post-ceasefire conditions
Despite the ceasefire, Kurdish neighborhoods remain effectively under siege. Arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, harassment, and movement restrictions continue unabated. Access to humanitarian aid remains severely limited, and the presence of extremist militias integrated into state security structures poses a constant threat to civilian safety.
Call for an independent investigation and action
The international community must urgently deploy independent observers to monitor the ceasefire and prevent further violations. Diplomatic recognition and aid to Syria should be contingent upon the verified protection and political participation of Kurds and other minorities. The March 10 agreement protecting Kurdish rights must be fully implemented, and extremist militias must be removed from state security forces. Inclusive political participation of all Syrian communities is essential for achieving lasting peace.” [1]