News Center — The General Council of the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo warned of the dangers of massacres and forced displacement resulting from violent attacks, stressing the continuation of resistance and rejecting surrender despite shelling that has caused casualties.

On Friday, January 9, the General Council of the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods issued a statement addressed to public opinion, reaffirming the resolve of residents and the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) to stand firm and defend their areas.

The statement said: “Since January 6, our neighborhoods have been subjected to attacks with heavy weapons and intense shelling, directly targeting mosques, schools, hospitals, civilians’ homes, and service institutions.”

The council noted that “our people and security forces are showing great resistance against these attacks, which aim to commit massacres and launch a new wave of displacement against residents who have lived in these neighborhoods for hundreds of years, in an attempt to change the city’s demographic composition.”

The statement explained that “the temporary Damascus government is carrying out these attacks under the name of the ‘New Syrian Army,’ with the support of the Turkish state and its affiliated factions,” pointing out that “this escalation represents a blatant violation of the April 1 agreement, while international powers that were guarantors and monitors of the March 10 and April 1 agreements remain silent.”

The council emphasized that “the danger of massacres and attacks still exists at this moment, and the calls directed by the forces of the temporary government toward our people and security forces amount to an attempt to impose surrender. However, our people are determined to remain in their homes and protect them.”

The statement added that “the factions are committing massacres against civilians in the areas they have advanced into, using the same practices previously carried out against Alawites and Druze, which are now being implemented in our neighborhoods.”

It also pointed out that “the intense shelling has resulted in dozens of wounded, including women and children, while Khaled Fajr Hospital was heavily shelled, leading to its complete shutdown. This constitutes a war crime and exacerbates the humanitarian crisis amid the imposed siege, the prevention of humanitarian aid entry, and the harsh winter conditions.”

In conclusion, the General Council of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh stressed its “rejection of the pressure exerted by the temporary government and its factions,” affirming that “we have no trust in handing over the security of our neighborhoods to them, and it is impossible for us to retreat from protecting our areas.” The council called on residents for “general mobilization to defend their neighborhoods and support the wounded at Khaled Fajr Hospital.”