UPDATE - Syrian army destroys YPG/SDF terror group’s ammunition depot in Aleppo

ADDS MORE DETAILS, ADDS BACKGROUND

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Syrian army destroyed a large ammunition depot belonging to the terrorist organization YPG/SDF on Friday in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood of Aleppo, according to the Defense Ministry.

The army destroyed “Site No. 12” in Sheikh Maqsoud, Assem Ghalion, director of the Media and Communications Department at the Defense Ministry, told Al-Ikhbariya TV.

Ghalion said the targeted site was a large ammunition warehouse used by SDF elements.

The Media and Communications Department also dismissed a claim from SDF that the target was a hospital. “The target is not a hospital but a large SDF ammunition depot that has been destroyed, with explosions still ongoing at the site,” it added.

Ghalion said the YPG/SDF terror group continued targeting civilians in Aleppo, resulting in deaths and injuries.

Earlier, the Syrian army announced the opening of a humanitarian corridor to allow civilians to exit the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood while calling on members of the terrorist group to lay down their arms.

The Army Operations Command told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that the corridor would be open from 4 to 6 pm local time (1300-1500GMT).

Following that, the army announced that the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood has been designated a closed military zone and imposed a full curfew on the area starting at 6:30 pm local time until further notice.

These military measures come after a temporary ceasefire ended today as the SDF refuses to withdraw from the neighborhood.

Fighting in Aleppo erupted on Tuesday when the YPG/SDF terror group launched attacks on residential areas, civilian facilities, and army positions, killing nine people and wounding 55 others, and displacing about 165,000 residents from Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud, according to the latest official figures.

In response, the Syrian army launched a “limited” military operation on Thursday, regaining control of Ashrafieh and Bani Zeid. By Friday evening, Sheikh Maqsoud remained the only neighborhood outside state control.

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 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, after 24 years in power.