Syrian authorities announce full curfew in several Aleppo neighborhoods amid SDF attacks

ISTANBUL

Syrian authorities in the northern city of Aleppo announced a full curfew in several neighborhoods on Thursday evening until further notice amid attacks by the PKK/YPG terrorist group operating under the name of SDF.

The Aleppo Internal Security Command said the curfew applies to the neighborhoods of Ashrafieh, Sheikh Maqsoud, Bani Zeid, Al-Surian, Al-Hulluk and Al-Midan, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The measure was imposed “out of concern for the safety of residents” and as part of steps taken to maintain security and prevent any violations that could endanger lives and property, it added.

All movement within the listed neighborhoods is strictly prohibited during the curfew, “without exception,” the command said.

The Syrian army began heavy and focused shelling of SDF positions in Aleppo on Thursday in retaliation for attacks by the group that killed at least nine civilians and injured dozens.

The army attacks came after the SDF forces renewed its shelling of residential neighborhoods in the city for the third consecutive day on Thursday.

On March 10, the Syrian presidency announced the signing of an agreement for the SDF’s integration into state institutions, reaffirming the country's territorial unity and rejecting any attempts at division.

Syrian authorities say that in the months since, the SDF has not shown any efforts to meet the terms of the agreement.

The Syrian government has intensified efforts to maintain security across the country since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on Dec. 8, 2024, after 24 years in power.