Statement to the Public Opinion

The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria follows with great concern and condemnation the statement issued by the military forces of the Transitional Syrian Government, which included a direct threat to target the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods in Aleppo, considering them “legitimate military targets,” and calling for their evacuation through what was termed as temporary humanitarian corridors.
We firmly confirm that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are not present in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods, which are residential areas densely populated by civilians, the majority of whom are Kurdish residents, including many internally displaced people from Afrin, who have endured the horrors of oppression and forced displacement in recent years. Therefore, any military escalation, bombing, or targeting of these neighborhoods is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and a continuation of hostile policies that affect the Syrian people of all components without distinction.
The ongoing bombing, attacks, and illegal, indiscriminate escalation in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods, in parallel with attacks and violations witnessed in other regions such as the Syrian coast, the south of Syria, and other areas, confirm that such practices do not serve the stability of the country, but rather contribute to destabilizing security, inflaming conflict, and pushing Syria further away from national reconciliation, political resolution, and the desired national unity.
Despite our commitment to the agreement reached on April 1st, the other side has failed to abide by its terms and has continued its policies of siege and escalation. We also confirm that, despite our repeated attempts to communicate and open channels for dialogue and serious negotiations, the Ministry of Defense of the Transitional Syrian Government has so far refused the option of dialogue and insists on a language of threats and war.
We clearly announce that we are not in favor of any military escalation because the people are the nation, and they are the first and last victims of wars and battles. The Syrian people have suffered enough from years of destruction and conflict, and war has brought nothing but pain, fragmentation, and the loss of hope.
Therefore, we call upon the officials of the Transitional Syrian Government to bear their moral and national responsibilities regarding what is happening, to return to the path of reason and logic, and to adopt dialogue as the only language for resolving differences, without giving room to disruptors and those with agendas that only serve the enemies of the Syrian people, who seek to achieve their objectives through the destruction and fragmentation of Syria.
We also call on the Syrian people, especially the youth, to distance themselves from the logic of war and weapons, to raise their voices for justice, reject violence, and defend the values of peaceful coexistence and brotherhood between all Syrian components.
In conclusion, the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria expresses its full solidarity with our civilian population in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods, and with all the Syrian people who are subjected to violations and attacks. We reaffirm our commitment to the option of a democratic political solution, and to building a unified, democratic, decentralized Syria that guarantees the rights, dignity, and justice of all its people without exception.