Today, the overall situation in Aleppo is calm. Only material damage has been recorded within the Armenian community; there are no injured or fatalities. Families who had taken shelter in the church hall returned to their apartments in the morning. Schools remain closed. This was reported from Aleppo by 'Lurer' correspondent Zarmik Poghikyan.
Over the past days, the Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Aleppo has continued its activities, providing services to citizens of the Republic of Armenia and foreign nationals.
Earlier, it was reported that the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced the establishment of a ceasefire in the areas surrounding the Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyeh, and Beni Zeid neighborhoods of Aleppo, with the aim of halting military operations on the ground and creating conditions for the rule of law and the restoration of state official institutions.
In its statement, the ministry noted: “Based on concerns for ensuring the safety of the civilian population of Aleppo and the need to prevent new military escalations in residential neighborhoods, the Ministry of Defense declares a ceasefire in the areas surrounding the Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyeh, and Beni Zeid neighborhoods, which will take effect starting at 03:00.”
The Ministry called on armed groups operating in the Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyeh, and Beni Zeid neighborhoods to leave the area. Militants leaving the area are permitted to carry only personal light weapons. The Syrian army undertakes to escort them and ensure their safe transfer to the northeastern regions of the country, east of the Euphrates.
The Ministry emphasized that the goal of the process is to put an end to the militarized situation in these neighborhoods, ensure the rule of law and the return of state institutions, as well as to enable forcibly displaced residents to return to their homes and resume normal life in a safe environment.
The Ministry of Defense called on all interested parties to strictly observe the specified deadlines in order to ensure everyone’s safety and prevent possible clashes. It was also noted that internal security forces, together with the Syrian army’s Military Operations Council, are responsible for organizing the withdrawal of armed groups from the neighborhoods toward northeastern Syria.
