The United Nations on Wednesday voiced alarm over renewed fighting in northern Syria after shelling in residential neighborhoods by the PKK/YPG terror group, and called on all sides to move swiftly to implement a March 2025 agreement, stressing the need to protect civilians and prevent further escalation.
"Turning to Syria, and particularly the developments in the northeast. I can tell you that the Secretary-General (Antonio Guterres) is alarmed by reports of civilian deaths and injuries following hostilities in Aleppo, Syria," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference.
Emphasizing the need to "protect civilians and civilian infrastructure," Dujarric said the U.N. calls on "all actors to immediately de-escalate, exercise maximum restraint, and take all measures to prevent further harm to civilians."
"We continue to encourage all parties to demonstrate flexibility and goodwill, on both the military and political tracks, and promptly resume negotiations in order to fully implement the 10 March agreement," he added.
Dujarric's remarks come amid heightened tensions and displacements in parts of Aleppo as PKK/YPG, operating under the name of SDF, renewed shelling of residential neighborhoods for the second day on Wednesday, a day after at least five people were killed and 27 others injured in a series of attacks by the group since Tuesday.
The Syrian army earlier said that military positions of the SDF in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods are "legitimate targets" following the group's escalation and "massacres" in the province.
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.
Syrian authorities say that in the months since, the SDF has not shown any efforts to meet the terms of the agreement.
