Syria's Arab Tribes Give Pro-American Forces and SDF One Month to Leave Eastern Syria

On 11 August, sheikhs and elders of the Arab Al-Uqaydat tribe met in the Syrian Deir ez-Zor province, agreeing that the US-led coalition is responsible for murdering tribal sheikhs in the province, and demanding that the region be cleared of SDF forces, local control returned to the Syrians, and stating: “leave the Arab region to the Arabs”.

Sputnik’s correspondent in al-Hasakah reported, citing civilian sources in Deir ez-Zor, that nearly 5,000 people attended a meeting of Al-Uqaydat sheikhs and elders. They agreed that the pro-American coalition and the SDF have one month to turn over all of those involved in murdering sheikhs in the Deir ez-Zor governorate, and demanded that the SDF and the coalition leave the province.

The tribal sheikhs condemned the security chaos caused by a series of murders of tribal elders and sheikhs, as well as condemning widespread corruption. These factors are reported to have forced the tribe to make the decision.

The most recent high-profile crime attributed to SDF fighters is the assassination of Sheikh Mutashar al-Hafil and his relative Dar Mihlef al-Khalaf, which has provoked a wave of protests and aggression by local tribes against both the armed SDF groups and the pro-American coalition.

"We are calling on the international coalition to transfer control over the province directly to its Arab population, respecting Syria’s territorial integrity, as well as the rights of Syrian citizens", the trial elder's statement said.

Al-Uqaydat tribal representatives also demand that the SDF release all prisoners and hostages: particularly and first, women and children.
Reportedly, the month given to the SDF and the coalition to meet the ultimatum starts today, August 11, 2020.

The Al-Uqaydat tribes have traditionally been situated in the eastern part of the Syrian Deir ez-Zor province. Popular protests hit these cities after pro-American SDF forces killed several sheikhs and tribal elders. In response, tribal representatives broke into SDF headquarters in several governorate cities and captured fighters.
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• Kurdish-led members of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) kidnapped nine civilians in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor.

SDF militants, who enjoy Washington's patronage, on Tuesday stormed houses in Suwaydan Jazeera village and kidnapped nine civilians, SANA reported.

The report added the civilians were taken to an unknown place.

Last year, Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, in identical letters sent to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the rotating President of the UN Security Council Vasily Nebenzya, announced that SDF militants continue their terrorist and criminal measures against Syrians in Hasakah, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqah and Aleppo.

The letters stated that the militants are backed by the United States and the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorists who provide them with military, logistic, financial and political support.

The US has long been providing the SDF with arms and militant training, calling them a key partner in the purported fight against Daesh. Many observers, however, see the support in the context of Washington's plans to carve out a foothold in the Arab country.
 (Tasnim)