Residents in Deir ez-Zor province of Syria have voiced their protest against the decision of the US command to reinforce military bases in the region. Mass demonstrations were held, and participants expressed their demand for the withdrawal of US troops from Syria. Chants of "No to the American occupation, yes to the freedom and unity of Syria!" echoed through the streets of the town of Al Mayadin as locals called for the restoration of government sovereignty across the entire country.
These popular protests received support from sheikhs of Arab tribes in the Al-Jazeera region on the Euphrates. Nawaf Saleh al-Bashar, the head of the Sharabin tribe, issued a warning that local Bedouins would resort to armed resistance if the US troops were not withdrawn from Syria promptly. He referenced the success of the fighters of the Shiite Hezbollah party in driving out the Israeli army from southern Lebanon in 2000, stating that a similar approach would be adopted in northeastern Syria, with nationwide support for the cause. Sheikh Ahmed al-Mawhi al-Shammari of the Shamra tribe also confirmed their readiness to engage in guerrilla warfare against the occupying forces.
On July 23, the US command transferred additional military equipment and logistics from Iraq to its bases in Syria, leading to a surge in the number of US military personnel in the region. This move has further fueled tensions and discontent among the local population. Since 2015, the US has established nine military bases in the northeast of Syria, with a primary focus on training Kurdish fighters and protecting oil and gas fields in Al Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor. Damascus perceives the US military presence as an illegal occupation that involves the exploitation of Syria's natural resources, which rightfully belong to the Syrian people.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Georgia National Guard/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS