Western Kurdistan's YPG (People's Defense Units) Regional Command of Aleppo has released a statement on recently intensified clashes in the Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo.

Clashes in the area erupted after armed gang groups acting for the Free Syrian Army (FSA) attacked the control points of YPG and the Kurdish al-Akrad Front in Kurdish Sheik Maksoud (Şêx Meqsûd), Esrefiye, Sekin Şebabi and Şiqêf neighborhoods on September 6. Fighters of YPG and the al-Akrad Front strongly responded to the attacks in which the gang groups suffered heavy losses.

YPG remarked that among the groups involved in the attacks on Kurdish neighborhoods are Selahaddin Brigade, Battle Martyrs' Brigade, al-Rebie al-Arabi Brigade, Ensar al-Islam Brigade, Syrian Martyrs' Brigade, Ehrar al-Sham Movement, Komele forces, Muhammed al-Fatih Brigade and the Azadi Brigade affiliated to Azadi Party against which Supreme Kurdish Council opened an investigation last week.

YPG said all these groups drew their strength from the FSA and the Military Council of Aleppo.

According to the figures released in the YPG statement, at least 57 members of armed gang groups were killed, over 60 others wounded and 12 others taken captive in the last five days. YPG and al-Akrad fighters also destroyed two vehicles carrying antiaircraft weapons, set seven vehicles on fire and seized three others.

YPG pointed out that the groups' artillery attacks on the Sheik Maksoud neighborhood left some civilians dead and many others wounded.

The Command said that three fighters of the YPG have lost their life in clashes which erupted in Sheik Maksoud and later expanded to other areas.

The YPG fighters were identified as Givara Hebeş, born in Afrin in 1985, Zinar Reşid, born in 1993 in Aleppo, and Feqi Salih, born in Afrin in 1982.