Syrian forces deploy in Aleppo neighborhood after SDF withdrawal: Interior Ministry

ISTANBUL

Syrian internal security forces began deploying in the Ashrafieh neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday evening following the withdrawal of the PKK/YPG terrorist group operating under the name SDF, the Interior Ministry said.

A ministry statement said internal security units started their deployment in Ashrafieh after the neighborhood was recently handed over to state authorities under a plan to re-establish security and stability in the area.

The forces have begun carrying out duties aimed at protecting civilians and preventing any security breaches or acts of disorder, the statement added.

The ministry said the deployment is being conducted in coordination with Syrian army units positioned in the area.

The deployment comes after a large number of SDF members defected in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods while others have fled.

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

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.