Nuri Sheikho: Government continues blockade on Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh

Sheikho stated that the collapse of the Baath Party system allowed Syrians to breathe a sigh of relief and created hope for a bright future for Syria’s coexisting communities.

He expressed reservations about the policies pursued by the transitional government, which has failed to ensure fair representation for all Syrian components despite a year having passed since the fall of the Baath regime.

 This raises deep concerns about the future, he said, because the transitional government has not fulfilled its national responsibilities according to the principle of representing everyone, instead confining itself to the representation of only one side and one mindset.

Divergent National Positions

Sheikho criticized the transitional government’s policies that promote the spread of toxic hate speech, which labels every critic of the government as an “enemy” and deepens the divide that prevents societal unity.

He added: “There is a clear divergence between the positions of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and those of the transitional government when it comes to taking responsibility for the unity of the country and national values.”

Sheikho praised the national spirit shown by the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), referring particularly to their positive stance toward the demands of the people of Deir ez-Zor to clear war remnants and destruction from their city. He said: “While this national spirit embodies unity and humanity, the transitional government continues its siege on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo—an approach that contradicts national unity and humanitarian principles.”

Last week, the Autonomous Administration and the SDF sent a technical services team to the center of Deir ez-Zor in response to local pleas, with the aim of clearing war remnants and reopening roads for residents.

Siege and the April 1 Agreement

Sheikho noted that the siege imposed on the two neighborhoods has had wide-ranging consequences, creating severe economic, industrial, social, livelihood, and health problems. Recently, it caused the post office building in Ashrafieh—responsible for supplying internet to several neighborhoods—to cease operating due to a lack of fuel needed to run its electricity generators.

He added that in recent discussions held under the April 1 Agreement, representatives of the transitional government promised to open the Deir Hafer road, and both sides agreed to hold talks through joint committees to address pending issues. In this context he said:

“Opening the Deir Hafer road to the media and public opinion is not enough. What is the point of opening the road if fuel is prevented from passing? And what does it mean to open it if travelers are forced to pay extortion money, bribes, and customs fees? How can we talk about freedom of movement under practices that contradict the agreements made?”

Sheikho confirmed that the transitional government in Syria has still not fulfilled the commitments it made during the last round of discussions on October 21 within the framework of the April 1 Agreement.

ANHA