Syrian Activist: attacks on Aleppo neighborhoods undermine national understanding, threaten Syria’s Unity

Reactions continue to pour in across Syria condemning the Syrian Transitional Government’s assaults on Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsood and Al-Ashrafieh neighborhoods, with many describing the attacks as a threat to civil peace and a contradiction to the objectives of the March 10 agreement.

A Calculated Escalation

In an exclusive interview with ANHA agency, Ensaf Salitin stated: “I believe these attacks were not coincidental but carefully timed occurring just one week after the Erdogan-Trump meeting and Erdogan’s notable praise, which was promptly seized upon by Turkey-backed factions and translated into military maneuvers within areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).”

She added: “It is clear that what is unfolding is a deliberate escalation to entrench facts on the ground before any settlement, sending a dual message: first, to Washington that Ankara remains the dominant player on the field, and second, to Damascus and the SDF that no stability can be achieved in the north without Turkish approval. There may also be messages directed toward various regional actors.”

Salitin sees these attacks as part of a broader power struggle, not isolated security incidents. She described them as “a test of the resilience of existing understandings and their ability to withstand regional shifts, as well as an attempt to maximize gains for Turkish influence.”

Violations and Massacres Threaten Beyond Geography

While some believe the era of massacres may be ending, Salitin cautioned that the risk of renewed violations remains high not only given the history of the factions involved but also because political and media environments now justify violence and obscure responsibility amid a total absence of accountability.

“What happened previously in Afrin, Ras al-Ain, and Tal Abyad serves as a recurring model, now playing out again in Sheikh Maqsood and Al-Ashrafieh, where civilians are used as bargaining chip,” she said.

She emphasized that violations are not confined to northern Syria, noting similar patterns recently observed in Sweida and the coastal regions. “This exposes a danger beyond mere geography a dangerous methodology governing the country’s crises. When bloodshed is unleashed in this manner and weapons run unchecked, massacres cease to be mere possibilities and instead become a recurring reality unless there is genuine deterrence and clear international accountability.”

Attacks Undermine National Understanding and Threaten Unity

Regarding the impact of these attacks, Salitin asserted: “These assaults directly undermine the spirit of the March 10 agreement between the SDF and Damascus because they fundamentally attack the concept of national understanding. The agreement was based on coordination and agreed-upon mechanisms to integrate and preserve territorial unity, but current developments foster suspicion and recrimination.”

She warned that continued operations will erode local communities’ trust in the state and provide justification for external forces to intervene more aggressively under the pretext of “protecting civilians.” “Unless the March 10 agreement is translated into concrete security and field measures, the country is heading towards deeper division, not unity.”

Salitin concluded: “Syria’s unity is not preserved through slogans but by stopping the bloodshed, respecting diversity, shielding civilians from the calculus of weapons and politics, and immediately launching a genuine national dialogue along with a new constitution that safeguards everyone’s rights.”

ANHA