Damascus, Jan. 16 (SANA) Turkey’s ambassador to Damascus, Noah Yılmaz, said Turkey is closely monitoring with concern reports that SDF organization are using civilians as human shields in the towns of Deir Hafer and Maskanah in eastern Aleppo and and blocking their evacuation.
In a post on the social media platform X, cited by Anadolu Agency, Yılmaz stated: “Turkey is watching with grave concern the use of civilians as human shields in a war they are not part of.”
Yılmaz said that during the recent operation carried out by the Syrian Arab Army in the Sheikh Maqsood and al-Ashrafiyah neighborhoods of Aleppo, the towns of Deir Hafer and Maskanah, located in the eastern Aleppo countryside, were turned into launch points for SDF attacks targeting civilian areas in Aleppo city, including the use of suicide drones.
His remarks came after the Aleppo Media Directorate reported on Thursday that the SDF deliberately obstructed civilians attempting to leave Deir Hafer and Maskanah toward state-controlled areas.
According to the directorate, the group prevented civilians from crossing through the Humaymah humanitarian corridor, which had been announced by the local administration in coordination with the Military Operations Command.
These actions coincided with continued SDF attacks using mortar shells and drones against Syrian Arab Army positions and civilian areas in the eastern Aleppo countryside.
