A member of the Syrian Ministry of Defense stands in one of the neighborhoods of Aleppo, which has witnessed unrest in recent days.
Syrian defense member killed in shooting in Aleppo
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- A Syrian Defense Ministry member was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Aleppo amid rising security tensions.
- The incident follows recent clashes and alleged ceasefire violations involving the Syrian government and SDF.
A member of Syria’s Ministry of Defense was killed on Saturday after being shot by unidentified gunmen in Aleppo’s Saif al-Dawla neighborhood, as the city grapples with renewed security unrest following recent armed exchanges.
The state-run Syrian TV channel, citing eyewitnesses, said two masked men riding a motorcycle opened fire on the defense member, killing him instantly. Security forces from the Ministry of Defense later imposed a security cordon in the area as investigations began to identify the attackers.
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Escalating incidents in Aleppo
The killing comes a day after a member of Syria’s Internal Security Forces was wounded on Friday by sniper fire at the Sheikhhan Roundabout checkpoint in Aleppo, according to the state news agency SANA.
SANA reported that snipers affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces, stationed in the Ashrafieh neighborhood and Sheikh Maqsoud district, both under SDF control, targeted Internal Security Forces personnel at the checkpoint.
Drone incident near Tishreen Dam
In a related development, Syrian army units intercepted drones launched by the SDF toward military positions near the Tishreen Dam in eastern Aleppo countryside. Damascus described the incident as a new violation of the March tenth agreement, SANA said.
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Warnings over ceasefire violations
Aleppo Internal Security Commander Hamad Abdel Ghani warned on Friday that continued ceasefire breaches by the SDF would be met with “necessary measures”, referring to the agreement that was expected to be implemented before the end of the year.
Background to tensions
On Monday, at least three civilians were killed and others wounded during an exchange of gunfire in Aleppo, with both the Syrian government and the SDF trading accusations over responsibility.
The violence followed a visit by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who urged the SDF not to obstruct Syria’s unity and stability and called on the group to implement the agreement.
The March agreement includes provisions to integrate the civil and military institutions of the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northeastern Syria into Syria’s national institutions by the end of the year. No tangible progress has been reported so far.
