The war and resistance in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud (Şêxmaqsûd) and Ashrafiyah (Eşrefiyê) saw all segments of society demonstrate remarkable determination in education, healthcare, and many other fields. One of the most powerful stories of this resistance unfolded in the field of healthcare. Amid the harsh realities of war, everything had been destroyed; there was not even a single place where the wounded or the sick could receive treatment. Yasin Yasin Primary School, once a place where children dreamed and looked to the future with hope, was transformed into a space where the wounded were treated each day and martyrs were bid farewell. From the beginning of the Rojava Revolution, the school tried to respond to relentless attacks with only a few doctors and nurses.

One of the doctors who served under heavy bombardment, Khalid Fajr, was martyred in an attack by Turkish-backed mercenaries. Vowing to carry on his struggle, his comrades kept his memory alive by naming the hospital after him. Until 2018, the center functioned as an ambulance point; that same year, it was transformed into Shaheed Khalid Fajr Hospital, serving the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah.

Dr. Osman Sheikh Isa, Co-Chair of the Aleppo Health Council, spoke to ANF about the historic resistance of the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods and the establishment process of the Health Council.

Dr. Osman Sheikh Isa stated that the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood holds a legacy of resistance. He said, “At the beginning of the Syrian Revolution, in the midst of chaos and destruction, the people organized themselves and secured self-defense in their neighborhoods. Healthcare played an important role in this resistance. Sheikh Maqsoud, with extremely limited resources, reorganized all aspects of life, and healthcare was rebuilt under these conditions. In 2012, the first people's council was established in Sheikh Maqsoud, and the same year, a health council was also formed. The aim was to maintain healthcare services despite the ongoing war and chaos in Aleppo and these two neighborhoods.

At that time, there was no health center capable of meeting the needs of the residents. Yasin Yasin School, located between the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah, became a place where martyrs were bid farewell and people received treatment. Until 2018, under the most difficult war conditions, this center, established with only a few healthcare workers and almost no resources, managed to meet all the medical needs of the neighborhood. These efforts continued until 2018, relying solely on the limited means we had at our disposal.”

All medical supplies exhausted

Dr. Osman Sheikh Isa stated that, at the time, attacks by mercenaries and the siege imposed by the Ba'ath regime posed serious obstacles to medical work. He continued: “The neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah carry a history of resistance. The mercenaries continued all kinds of attacks in an attempt to crush the will of the people in these neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the Ba'ath regime kept the area under siege for many years. Doctors and medical staff who tried to enter the neighborhood were subjected to interrogations and held accountable. Others who tried to enter the area to provide help were blocked by the regime. This created immense difficulties, not only in accessing medicine and medical supplies, but in every aspect of life. All of these pressures were meant to make life in the neighborhood unbearable. But despite all of this, the people had the determination and will to foil the regime’s plans. That is why they resisted every form of aggression.”

Dr. Osman Sheikh Isa further emphasized that Shaheed Khalid Fajr Hospital provides healthcare not only to local residents but also to those coming from outside the neighborhood. He stated: “Yasin Yasin Primary School was renovated and renamed Shaheed Khalid Fajr Hospital. Since its establishment, it has provided treatment not only for residents of the neighborhood but also for those coming from outside. Services are provided without discrimination based on identity or language, in a manner that respects human dignity, based solely on the needs of the patient. After the withdrawal of the Ba'ath regime, we became prepared to handle all situations. With this change, our area of work, which was previously limited to the Ashrafiyah neighborhood, expanded to include all neighborhoods. Today, the total population of both neighborhoods is estimated to be between 400,000 and 450,000.

In particular, the recent second wave of displacement of the people of Afrin, along with the settlement of many other Syrians in the neighborhoods, has added to the pressure. The healthcare sector has been deeply affected as well. With the onset of war, all medical supplies were depleted, and healthcare staff were impacted. The flow of medicine was blocked, causing a serious crisis. No support was provided from any entity other than the Autonomous Administration, and this remains the case today. Since the fall of the regime, while state hospitals have received support from international organizations, Shaheed Khalid Fajr Hospital has not received any. This clearly shows that international powers have sacrificed society for their political interests. Therefore, the international community and organizations must adopt a fair and just approach towards the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah.”