Besieged In Hospital, Kurds Fight To Death As Their Drones Hit Syrian Army HQs In Aleppo (Videos)

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The forces of Syria’s Islamist-led Interim Government took control of Ashrafieh and much of neighboring Sheikh Maqsoud by January 11, besieging Kurdish fighters affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Khaled Fajr Hospital and nearby areas in the latter neighborhood in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo.

Government forces advanced in the two Kurdish neighborhoods rapidly overnight, forcing Kurdish fighters to retreat to the hospital, which was struck more than once since the start of the battle.

In the early morning, Syrian state medi said that 90% of Sheikh Maqsoud was captured by government forces. However, these claims were dismissed by the SDF, which said in separate statements that fighters from its security forces, Asayish, were “resisting” around the crowded Khaled Fajr Hospital, and had destroyed a main battle tank and two armored vehicles.

Videos later emerged showing at least dozens of women and children taking shelter in the hospital, where many wounded have been also receiving treatment.

Many Kurdish fighters who were isolated in pockets away from the hospital fought to their death, with state media reporting that at least two blew themselves up in government forces.

With the start of the afternoon, the SDF said in a statement that Asayish fighters repelled more attacks near Khaled Fajr Hospital, destroying two more armored vehicles.

The Syrian military commander announced soon after that via the state-run SANA news agency that it would cease fire by 3:00 p.m. and send buses to evacuate Kurdish fighters who don’t wish to surrender from Sheikh Maqsoud to the SDF-held city of Tabqah in the southern Raqqa countryside.

Shortly after the ceasefire entered into effect, SDF denied that an agreement was reached, and said that government forces were still attacking Khaled Fajr Hospital.

“While these entities are issuing their misleading statements, our forces repelled a fierce attack launched by the militias on the western neighborhood, destroying one of their armored vehicles. Our fighters are bravely battling in street battles to defend their families and neighborhoods,” the SDF said in a statement.

“These false claims expose the true criminal face of the Damascus government militias, who habitually use lies to cover up their crimes, repeating the same tactics they employed in their atrocities in the coastal and Suwaida regions, including shelling and targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure,” the group continued.

“We hold the Damascus government and its militias fully responsible for these crimes, and we call upon the international community and human rights organizations to break their silence and take immediate action to stop these violations and hold the perpetrators accountable,” it added.

In a follow up statement, the SDF said that Asayish fighters destroyed three more tanks, all while being targeted by Turkish Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drones. Turkey offered to back the ongoing government attack in Aleppo city, but its involvement is yet to be confirmed.

Amid the clashes in Sheikh Maqsoud, multiple fixed-wing suicide drones attacked Aleppo city, with one hitting the governro’s building and another hitting the military intelligence headquarters. State media said that the drones were launched from the town of Deir Hafer in the eastern Aleppo countryside by the SDF, but the group denied any involvement. SANA said that four people were wounded.

The fighting in Aleppo city has already displaced more than 150,000 people, according to state media. Many who opted to leave the Kurdish neighborhoods in the last two days were arbitrarily arrested by government forces despite being promised safety. Some men were publicly humiliated. Their fate remains unknown.

The SDF has shown openness towards a political solution, with the co-president of its political wing Ilham Ehmed openly stating early in the morning that Kurdish fighters would withdraw from Aleppo city, provided their neighborhoods are allowed to have their own security forces and local council.

However, the government appears to be determined to escalate. A Foreign Ministry statement released amid the ceasefire in the afternoon accused the SDF of repeatedly violating an integration agreement reached in March, and described the attack on Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo city a “limited law enforcement operation”.

The failure to reach a real ceasefire agreement could lead to a major conflict. The government attack on Khaled Fajr Hospital would end up in a massacre. If this happens, fighting will likely spread from Aleppo city, to the countryside, then to Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, reigniting the civil war in Syria.

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