SDF drone targets Syria's Aleppo governorate building

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - A drone operated by the terrorist organization YPG/SDF targeted the Aleppo governorate building on Saturday shortly after a press conference attended by senior officials.

Al-Ikhbariya TV said an SDF drone struck the building following a press conference held by Governor Azzam al-Gharib, Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa and Social Affairs and Labor Minister Hind Qabawat.

The Aleppo Media Directorate said in a statement carried by the same outlet the drone attack occurred while the press conference was underway, describing the strike as an attempt to “silence the media” and prevent information from reaching the public.

The attack reflects the SDF’s “criminal behavior,” the directorate added, accusing the group of targeting government institutions, media personnel and medical facilities amid “mounting losses and the collapse of its armed structures in Aleppo.”

The statement condemned the SDF efforts “to target journalists, mislead public opinion and spread rumors that threaten social stability.”

No immediate information was provided on casualties or damage from the drone strike.

Since Tuesday, SDF has shelled residential neighborhoods, civilian facilities, and Syrian Army positions in Aleppo.

The attacks have killed nine people and wounded 55 others, and triggered the displacement of about 165,000 residents from the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods.

On March 10, 2025, the Syrian presidency announced the signing of an agreement for the SDF’s integration into state institutions, reaffirming the country's territorial unity and rejecting any attempts at division.

Authorities said, in the months since, the YPG/SDF has not shown any efforts to meet the terms of the agreement.

The government has intensified efforts to maintain security across the country since the ouster of the Assad regime in December 2024.