Kurdish Government Accuses Syrian Army of War Crimes in Aleppo

The semi-autonomous Kurdish government in northeastern Syria has accused the Syrian army and aligned militias of committing “war crimes” against the Kurdish population in Aleppo.

Since December, Aleppo has witnessed sporadic battles fueled by rising tensions between Kurdish forces and those loyal to interim President Ahmed al-Shara. Each side blames the other for initiating the hostilities.

After a brief lull, fighting flared up again last week. The Syrian army ordered evacuations in several Kurdish neighborhoods ahead of heavy shelling aimed at permanently expelling armed Kurdish groups from the city. Thousands of Kurdish civilians left Aleppo as a result.

Though the situation calmed over the weekend, new clashes erupted in Kurdish areas of Aleppo on Tuesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the UK, reported at least 82 fatalities, including 43 civilians.

Kurdish forces refer to the region surrounding Aleppo as Rojava, a name they use for their autonomous state. The formal name for their civilian governance is the Democratic Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria. The Kurdish military group, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), previously served as a significant military ally to the U.S. and its Western partners during the fight against ISIS.

The SDF has an internal security unit known as Asayish, which began police duties in Aleppo after the SDF withdrew its troops from the city in March. This move was part of an agreement with Damascus. The Asayish was involved in the initial skirmish that led to current hostilities.

On the other side are the Syrian army and its allies, which include factions that Kurds view with deep suspicion. The presence of these groups within Shara’s coalition makes the Kurds hesitant to comply with full military integration demands from Damascus.

Turkey, too, holds a distrust of the Kurds. It views the ongoing conflict with skepticism, considering all Kurdish militants as potential allies or covert members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group labeled as terrorist by Turkey. Ankara’s strong support for Sharaa comes with expectations for him to disarm and control the Kurdish populations.

In a recent statement, the Kurdish government expressed “grave concern and condemnation” about ongoing serious violations, asserting they amount to war crimes by factions linked to the Syrian Interim Government.

The Kurdish administration claims to possess substantial evidence that some militias associated with the Syrian army include former members of ISIS who have committed “crimes against civilians.”

“These actions clearly violate previous agreements intended to protect civilian safety, whether those forced to flee or those who remain,” the statement pointed out, referring to a ceasefire struck in March between the SDF and Damascus-affiliated militias.

“Despite these agreements, systematic violations and war crimes persist, including arbitrary arrests and the humiliation of civilians,” the statement continued.

The Kurdish government has backed its claims with videos purportedly showing jihadist groups mistreating Kurdish civilians in Aleppo.

The Kurdish authorities have urged the United Nations to form an independent international commission to investigate all violations and crimes against the Kurdish community in Aleppo.

On Monday, SDF Senior Commander Sipan Herno remarked that the abuse faced by Kurds in Aleppo was a “politically driven” attack orchestrated “outside Syria.”

“Officials from various states visited Damascus to prep for this. Outside support was acquired, leading to a declaration of war,” he stated.

He specifically named Turkey as a hostile entity involved in the violence in Aleppo, asserting, “Let me be clear: the drones targeted at Sheikh Maqsoud and the associated tanks were Turkish.” Sheikh Maqsoud is one of the predominantly Kurdish areas affected by the conflict.

Herno emphasized, “The conspiracy targets the Kurdish presence. Sheikh Maqsoud stands as a bastion of democracy in Syria.” SDF media chief Farhad Shami echoed similar sentiments, claiming that the skies over Aleppo were filled with Turkish aircraft as well as “suicide drones linked to the Damascus government.” Turkish authorities have denied these accusations regarding drone support.

“Turkish jets are flying frequently over the region. Our military is actively monitoring the situation,” he added.

On Sunday, the SDF announced the withdrawal of their last fighters from Aleppo, in response to demands for a ceasefire with the central government in Damascus. This marked the first instance since the civil war began in 2011 that Kurdish forces were absent from Aleppo.