CENTRAL NEWS – Hundreds of citizens living in the Kurdish neighbourhoods of Sheikhmaqshud (Şêxmeqsûd) and Ashrafiya (Eşrefiyê) in Aleppo took to the streets on Saturday, against an embargo by the Damascus government, as ANHA reports. The march, which turned into a mass rally, was in protest at the policy of the regime of not allowing basic commodities, and flour in particular, into the two neighbourhoods in Aleppo.
Ali al-Hasan, a member of Sheikhmaqshud neighbourhood Opinion Leaders Committee, speaking at the ‘Jizre’ checkpoint, where the march ended, said that the embargo was nothing new, and that Turkey and its proxies had imposed embargoes on them before. Recalling that the embargo imposed by Turkey’s gangs had been broken as a result of the resistance of the people, al-Hasan said: “These two neighbourhoods have protected Aleppo and its castle. It is thanks to the resistance of the people of Sheikhmaqshud and Ashrafiya that Aleppo did not fall.”
‘We will not bow down to anyone’
Al-Hasan stressed that the people of Sheikhmaqshud and Ashrafiya would not surrender to the policies of the Damascus government saying, “Our people will resist, and will not bow down to anyone, they will protect their land, their rights and their achievements.”
A number of women on the march spoke to ANHA:
Fehîme Qormo said: “Bread is the basis of life for us. We call on the Damascus government to allow flour into both neighbourhoods.”
Leyla Mihemed said that the Damascus government was not allowing basic commodities into the neighbourhoods and that this was having a bad effect on daily life and the economy.
Zeyneb Ehmed Mihemed said: “The Damascus government’s policy of starving us is having a bad effect on people in both neighbourhoods. This may lead to a disaster. Children, adults, all are suffering from this policy.”
