South Front Press
Clashes have renewed in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo between the forces of the Islamist-led Interim Government and fighters affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with reports indicating that Damascus had made the decision to go to war against the Kurdish-led group.
Tensions between the Interim Government and the SDF have been building up for months over the failure to implement the integration agreement signed last March.
The end of the year deadline passed with no progress, and direct talks held in Damascus on January 4 failed to produce any meaningful understanding.
The clashes broke out around the Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh on January 6, with each side accusing the other of attacking first.
Multiple attempts to de-escalate failed, and by the end of the day it became clear that government forces are preparing a military operation to capture the neighborhoods, which are under the de facto control of the SDF. Dozens of main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers were deployed around Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh by government forces, which also began to use heavy artillery and drones.
By January 7 morning, six civilians, including two women and a child, had been killed in the Kurdish neighborhoods, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which also reported the death of three other civilians, two women and a child, and three members of government forces on the other side.
Damascus escalated further, with the operations command of its military declaring Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh a “closed military zone,” and classifying all SDF positions within the two neighborhoods as “legitimate military targets.” The military also announced a curfew and opened two evacuation corridors, promoting an exodus of civilians from the neighborhoods.
Clashes later raged to the north and east of the neighborhoods, mainly along the Castillo road and the Alleramoon round about.
The SDF said that an attack by government forces was repelled, but a military source denied in a statement to the state-run SANA news agency that an advance attempt was made.
“Security and stability will soon be established in the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods in a manner appropriate to protect the residents from the brutality of the SDF organization,” the source was quoted as saying.
Separately, a Syrian official confirmed to Al-Jazeera that a “limited” military operation will be launched against the SDF in Aleppo.
Meanwhile, the SDF began to amass forces in the town of Deir Hafer in the eastern Aleppo countryside. The group is either attempting to pressure Damascus, or seriously considering launching an attack towards Aleppo city to relieve Kurdish forces.
Notably, the escalation in Aleppo began right after Syria, Israel and the United States announced an understanding on a joint coordination mechanism that would demilitarize southern Syria and give Israel security and even economic influence over all of the region. The understanding was reached following two days of talks in Paris.
A Syrian official close to President Ahmed al-Shara told Israel’s i24NEWS that Israel urgently asked Washington to delay finalizing an agreement between Damascus and the SDF. This indicates that the attack on the Kurdish-led group may be a part of the understanding reached in France.
Kurdish forces in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh are well-armed, highly-experienced, and numbered in the thousands. The neighborhoods are also located on high ground, and reported to be fortified, even with a complete network of underground tunnels. The battle there could go on for weeks, or even months.
Damascus seems determined to take over these neighborhoods, and the only way to avoid a deadly battle there may be an agreement that allows Kurdish forces to withdraw. It is unclear if the SDF would accept this, however.
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