Syrian army threatens to strike SDF positions blocking civilians in Aleppo
The Syrian Army has warned it will target YPG/SDF positions if they continue to block civilians from using a humanitarian corridor east of Aleppo. The army extended the corridor's opening, accusing the group of preventing tens of thousands from leaving and using them as human shields.
Syrian army threatens to strike SDF positions blocking civilians in Aleppo
The Syrian Army has issued a direct threat to attack positions held by the YPG/SDF, which it designates as a terrorist organization, accusing the group of obstructing a civilian evacuation corridor east of Aleppo. The warning underscores a sharp escalation in efforts to assert state control over the area and implement previous political agreements.
Accusations of obstruction and extended humanitarian window
In a statement carried by the state news agency SANA, the army's Operations Command alleged that SDF-affiliated groups are preventing civilians from passing through a designated humanitarian corridor near Deir Hafir. In response, the army extended the opening of the corridor for an additional day on Friday. It warned that any SDF site hindering civilian passage would be targeted, stating all necessary field preparations are complete. Civilians were urged to stay away from SDF-linked locations.
Reports of human shields and alternative escape routes
Civilians who managed to flee told Anadolu that SDF forces were preventing tens of thousands from leaving Deir Hafir, allegedly to use them as human shields. Separate media reports indicated that people began exiting via secondary routes after being blocked from the official Hamimeh crossing. The army says it detected a recent influx of armed SDF groups and former regime elements near Maskanah and Deir Hafir, prompting a bolstered military presence.
Background of broken agreements and recent violence
The confrontation follows the SDF's failure to comply with agreements from March and April 2025 that required its integration into state institutions and the withdrawal of its forces east of the Euphrates. Last week, SDF shelling in Aleppo caused significant civilian casualties and mass displacement. For Türkiye, which also designates the YPG as a terrorist group and supports Syria's territorial integrity, the Syrian army's actions align with shared security concerns regarding the group's presence and refusal to abide by political settlements.
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