Syria’s al-Sharaa vows Kurdish rights respect, seeks army integration

Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, said the Syrian state is seeking to fully integrate Kurds into the national army, security institutions, and parliament, stressing that Kurdish rights are “non-negotiable and do not require a single drop of blood spilled.”

In remarks aired by state-run Al-Ikhbariya television, al-Sharaa said the first message he delivered to Syrian Democratic Forces commander Mazloum Abdi after assuming power was a call to resolve Kurdish issues through political inclusion rather than violence.

Al-Sharaa accused the SDF of launching attacks on his forces in Aleppo and attempting to obstruct what he described as the “battle of liberation,” before expanding into strategically sensitive areas of the city. He said military operations only began after nearly 90 percent of residents had evacuated the Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafieh neighborhoods.

The Kurds did it all
He emphasized that the Kurdish community is an integral part of Syria’s national fabric but argued that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party has undermined Kurdish interests by diverting resources and limiting development opportunities.

According to al-Sharaa, the SDF’s internal structure suffers from fragmented decision-making, with its military leadership linked to the PKK. He accused the group of disrupting civilian and economic life in Aleppo and failing to adhere to the terms of the April 2025 agreement.

Al-Sharaa said the Kurdish issue cannot be resolved through continued SDF control over large areas of Syrian territory, claiming that significant national resources are being siphoned off to the PKK from outside Syria.

He reiterated that Damascus is pursuing a unified state framework that guarantees Kurdish rights while restoring centralized authority, asserting that long-term stability can only be achieved through political integration rather than parallel armed structures.

Syrian Army opens humanitarian corridor in eastern Aleppo
In a related context, the Syrian Army’s Operations Command announced earlier today the opening of a humanitarian corridor for residents in areas east of Aleppo in northern Syria, as part of measures aimed at protecting civilians and ensuring their safe evacuation.

According to the statement, the corridor will pass through the village of Hamimah along the M15 road, the main route connecting the cities of Deir Hafer and Aleppo.

The Operations Command urged civilians to avoid areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and PKK-affiliated militias within the designated zone to safeguard their safety.

The Army emphasized that it will implement a series of field measures to neutralize any threats to regional security and civilian safety, highlighting that these steps are part of efforts to maintain stability and protect civilians.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Syrian Ministry of Defense and the SDF reported renewed overnight clashes in eastern Aleppo, the region that Damascus aims to control following its consolidation of the major northern city.

Syrian gov. forces shell Deir Hafer
The media center of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported on January 13 that Syrian Defense Ministry forces shelled the town of Deir Hafer with artillery.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the shelling hit the town center in the eastern Aleppo countryside, causing fear and panic among residents. The monitoring group noted that several shop owners closed their businesses following the bombardment, while no casualties have been reported so far.

According to the observatory, artillery fire also targeted the Um al-Tina bridge within Deir Hafer. The shelling occurred shortly after Syria’s Defense Ministry declared Deir Hafer and the nearby town of Maskanah, extending toward the Euphrates River, a closed military zone.

Syrian army warns of violent response
The interim government forces in Syria said on January 12 that it has monitored the arrival of additional armed groups to positions held by the SDF in eastern Aleppo’s countryside, near Maskanah and Deir Hafer, according to a statement carried by the state news agency SANA.

The Syrian army’s operations command claimed the reinforcements included fighters from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), as well as individuals affiliated with Syria’s former regime, citing military intelligence sources. It added that the situation on the ground is being assessed and evaluated directly and continuously.

In the statement, the Army described what it called the SDF’s transfer of “terrorist groups” as a serious escalation, warning that any military action by these forces would be met with a harsh response. The command stressed that the army would not remain idle in the face of what it termed a dangerous escalation.

On January 11, the Syrian army accused the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of relocating armed groups along with medium and heavy weaponry to the Deir Hafer front east of Aleppo, claims that the SDF denied.

Separately, Internal Security Commander Mohammad Abdul Ghani announced on Saturday that government forces had secured the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in Aleppo following sweeping operations, describing the move as aimed at protecting civilians and removing weapons outside state control.

Earlier, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi stated that a ceasefire had been reached in the Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafieh neighborhoods of Aleppo through international mediation, facilitating the evacuation of the dead, wounded, trapped civilians, and fighters to northern and eastern Syria.