BARJAM JUDI

 

Kobani – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants, who seized power in Syria on December 8, have been attacking Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo for about a week, following massacres they committed last year against Alawites, Druze, and Christians.

The militants have been besieging the Ashrafieh, Sheikh Maqsoud, and Bani Yazid neighborhoods for months. These neighborhoods were targeted by a brutal offensive starting on January 6th this year, despite the April 1, 2025 agreement.

The Syrian Interim Government claims that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are attacking neighboring areas and security checkpoints. But according to the agreement, the SDF withdrew from the neighborhoods, and Internal Security Forces (Asayish) took over security, retaining only light weapons.

The Asayish forces present in the neighborhoods have refused to surrender and continue to resist these attacks with great determination, defending their presence alongside the residents.

In solidarity with the resistance of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, the people of the North–East Syria mobilized their convoys and announced their joining the general mobilization declared by the council of the two neighborhoods, and on January 9 their convoy set off towards Aleppo.

"Our people are being killed."

Nasima Kinjo, from Kobani, supports the resistance in the two neighborhoods, saying, "We wholeheartedly support and salute the resolution of our people in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh. The whole world sees that our people are besieged and being deliberately killed. Our will and our resistance will be in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh."

She added, "As a people, we do not fear the siege, the bombardment, or the massacres, and our resistance, which has lasted for more than five days, is the best proof of this determination. We are a people who demonstrate unparalleled resistance to protect our honor, our homeland, and our very existence. The solidarity convoy has set out for Aleppo, and this solidarity for the sake of honor guarantees victory. Just as our resistance at the Tishrin Dam was successful, we will achieve the same result again in Deir Hafer, Ashrafieh, and Sheikh Maqsoud."

"Our people are writing epic tales of heroism."

Amina Yassin pointed out that the will of the Kurdish people has defeated the power of two states. "From the Free Women's Square in Kobani, we send our greetings to the resistance of our people in Aleppo. For five days, jihadists have been trying to seize two of our neighborhoods with overwhelming force and a massive arsenal. I say this because it's not just about words and efforts; it's about determination and resistance. The whole world knows the extent of the Kurdish people's will and resistance, and what epic tales they are capable of writing."

She emphasized that "the mercenaries who committed massacres throughout Syria are trying to subject our people to the same fate, but they shouldn't think that we Kurds are like other parts of Syria. Therefore, our people's reaction during these five days of resistance has made this message abundantly clear. Here, facing the invaders' tanks and artillery, our fighters and soldiers are making great sacrifices, defending their neighborhoods with their lives."

Amina Yassin said, "We Kurds are living through an existential phase today, and therefore, all Kurds must defend their dignity today. Our message to the fighters of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh is: Wait for your people, we are coming to support you."