Kurdish factions of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have implemented a curfew across regions under their control in the northeastern part of Deir ez-Zor province due to ongoing clashes with Arab tribal militias. The decision was made in response to clashes that erupted between SDF fighters and these Arab militias across several areas.
The trigger for the Arab unrest was reportedly the arrest of Ahmed al-Khabil, the head of the Deir ez-Zor Military Council, who had previously allied with the SDF from 2017 to 2019 during their joint fight against the banned terrorist group Islamic State (IS). Ahmed al-Khabil's brother, Jalal al-Khabil, called upon Arab residents to challenge the Kurdish authorities and seize control of SDF bases in Deir ez-Zor. The Kurdish forces, in response, dispatched reinforcements from the neighboring Raqqa province.
Reports from the SANA news agency confirm that there have been exchanges of gunfire between SDF forces and Arab militias, resulting in casualties on both sides. These clashes have occurred in 14 different localities.
Prior to this escalation, residents of Arab neighborhoods had engaged in large-scale protests against the enforced conscription of young individuals from local tribes into the SDF ranks. These demonstrations voiced opposition to the practice of forcefully recruiting conscripts for the purpose of incorporating them into the SDF formations.
On July 24, tribal leaders from the region expressed support for returning areas controlled by the Kurds, such as Al Hasakah, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor, to Syrian state sovereignty. At a gathering in Al Mayadin, they criticized the SDF's transformation into forces perceived as safeguarding US military installations.
The northeastern part of Syria hosts approximately 900 US troops stationed at nine military bases, with the largest located in Tell Beydar, situated about 620 kilometers away from Damascus.
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Photo: Expert Infantry/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS