Transitional govt. siege threatens reconstruction projects in Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh

Since October 6, the transitional government in Syria has been blocking the entry of construction materials (iron, cement, sand, gravel, and pipes) as well as fuel into the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods of Aleppo, leading to an almost complete halt in the reconstruction sector.

The ban on construction materials followed an attempted incursion by the transitional government, which was met with widespread popular resistance that thwarted the attack. The situation has since evolved into an economic blockade that endangers daily life and reconstruction efforts in the region.

A contractor working in the construction sector in Sheikh Maqsoud, who requested anonymity, stated that the siege “has brought housing projects to a standstill and caused a decline in the income of hundreds of workers.”

He noted that ongoing work relies on the remaining stock of materials available before the blockade was imposed, warning of “an economic disaster and rising unemployment if the siege continues.”

In an effort to ease tensions around the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo, a military committee from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) met with a delegation from the transitional government during a visit to the city of Tabqa on October 20. The two sides discussed the recent tensions surrounding the neighborhoods and ways to resolve them peacefully to ensure the security and stability of residents and to prevent any escalation on the ground.

A-H 

ANHA