NEWS CENTER – While communication has been completely cut off with the Şêxmeqsûd (Sheikh Maqsoud) and Eşrefiye (Ashrafieh) neighbourhoods besieged by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), it is reported that paramilitary groups are massacring civilians. 

 

It was stated that communication has been completely cut off with the Şêxmeqsûd and Eşrefiyê neighbourhoods of Aleppo, which have been targeted by attacks by HTS and paramilitary groups affiliated with Turkey since 6 January.

 

The Fırat News Agency (ANF) report stated that thousands of families had been displaced, hundreds of people had been killed, the neighbourhoods in question had been besieged again, and massacres had been carried out against civilians. It was reported that HTS members raided the homes of citizens remaining in the neighbourhood and detained young people. At the same time, displaced civilians were not being allowed to return to their homes.

 

Between 6 January and 11 January, neighbourhoods where more than 500 thousand civilians lived were heavily bombed and serious war crimes were committed. Dozens of people were brutally killed, while between 120 thousand and 160 thousand people were forced to flee. 

 

Furthermore, hundreds of people are still unaccounted for.