Local sources reported that personnel from the Public Security forces, affiliated with the Syrian Interim Authority, arrested the Kurdish citizen Marwan Adnan Mahmoud, a native of Kobani, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. The arrest took place while he was passing through a security checkpoint en route to the city of Manbij to visit a friend. No legal justifications for the arrest were provided, and his fate remains unknown as of the time of writing this report.
According to the information received, the arrest occurred abruptly during transit between the two cities, without the presentation of a legal warrant or the filing of formal charges. This incident exacerbates growing human rights concerns regarding the ongoing practice of arbitrary detention against Kurdish citizens in areas under the control of the Syrian Interim Authority.
In a related context, the predominantly Kurdish Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in Aleppo city witnessed a wave of arrests on Monday, May 11, 2026, targeting several Kurdish youths. These arrests followed the inspection of their personal mobile phones and the discovery of images or symbols associated with Kurdish identity.
According to local sources, mobile patrols belonging to Public Security detained dozens of young men near the Al-Jabbanat area and the school complex in the eastern sector of Sheikh Maqsoud, where their mobile devices were subjected to searches. Eyewitnesses indicated that at least two young men have been arrested so far, with no further information available regarding their identities or places of detention.
These incidents are part of a series of violations reflecting the escalating crackdown on the Kurdish population.
The city of Aleppo and its countryside have experienced an alarming surge in violations against Kurdish citizens in recent months. These include cases of arbitrary arrest, frequent security summons of Kurdish youth, and practices described as degrading during search operations, alongside violations of privacy. These developments coincide with the return of groups of displaced persons to their home regions, despite official promises ensuring a “safe and dignified return.”
Furthermore, these developments are linked to recent territorial changes in Aleppo. The neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Al-Ashrafiya fell under the control of the Transitional Authority forces following a military operation that commenced on January 6, 2026, and concluded on January 10, 2026, after clashes with local Kurdish forces. This shift has been followed by increasing reports of intensified security measures targeting Kurdish residents in the area.
