Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyeh residents call for dialogue, reject sectarian strife

Speaking on behalf of the residents of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh from the checkpoints and earthen barriers erected by the Interim Government forces around the neighborhoods, Amna Khadro affirmed that the people are peaceful and do not seek any escalation. She recalled that the former regime had previously attempted to undermine the area’s security and stability but failed. 

Khadro stressed that all residents of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyeh, and Aleppo are Syrian citizens, warning of attempts to sow division among the country’s components. She explained that the people’s presence at the barriers today is to prevent the spread of discord and urged the removal of the fortifications, reaffirming their Syrian identity and attachment to their homeland.

Khadro also called on authorities to listen to the people’s voice and fulfill their will, warning of the possibility that some armed, uncontrolled groups might provoke escalation in the coming hours, creating tension among the residents.

In turn, Sheikh Ali al-Hassan, speaking on behalf of the neighborhoods’ residents, said there are children, women, elderly people, and patients in the area. He affirmed that the people of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh consider the people of Aleppo their brothers and reject any actions that could spark discord or conflict.

Sheikh al-Hassan urged the reopening of roads, preventing escalation, and resolving problems peacefully. He questioned the reasons behind erecting barriers and checkpoints at the entrances and exits of the two neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Ahmad Sadiq Haidar, head of the Didan al-Barazi tribe in Syria, speaking on behalf of the tribal leaders and elders of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh, reiterated their rejection of any form of discord, emphasizing that they are all sons of one homeland. He noted that they came out with bare chests to defend themselves and their communities, stressing the importance of dialogue and the immediate removal of the barriers and fortifications.

It is noteworthy that, during the residents’ speeches, a drone belonging to the Interim Government forces flew over the protesting crowds.

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ANHA