Syrian Democratic Forces announce end of military operations in eastern Syria

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), primarily composed of Kurdish fighters, announced the "end of military operations" in Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria on Wednesday. 

Deir ez-Zor was the last town where local Arab fighters were stationed, following a week of clashes that claimed the lives of dozens.

Last week, clashes erupted in several villages in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor province after the SDF, a coalition of Kurdish and Arab factions backed by the United States, removed Ahmed al-Khabil, the leader of the Deir ez-Zor Military Council, accusing him of corruption.

This led to local Arab fighters launching attacks, which quickly escalated into confrontations with the Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF imposed a curfew in the area on Saturday and Sunday. The SDF announced the situation was under control in most villages and sent forces to Deir ez-Zor on Tuesday.

The spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces, Farhad Shami, told Agence France-Presse today that the "military operations in Deir ez-Zor have ended, and we have begun inspecting homes and neighborhoods in search of hidden armed groups."

He added that the Syrian Democratic Forces are searching for "armed groups coming from the western bank of the Euphrates River."

The Euphrates River forms the border between Deir ez-Zor province, predominantly Arab, and Iraq. Dozens of Arab tribes reside in the region. Control over the area is divided between the Syrian Democratic Forces on the eastern bank and Syrian government forces, backed by Tehran-affiliated militias, on the western bank.

The clashes over the past week resulted in the deaths of about ninety people, most of them fighters, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, which fought alongside Arab fighters in their ranks, emphasized that there are no disputes with Arab tribes. They accused "beneficiaries" of the detained leader Ahmed al-Khabil and "mercenaries... associated with the regime" of attempting to create "sedition" between the SDF and the Arab tribes.

Kurdish self-administration and the Syrian Democratic Forces, its military wing, manage the areas they control in northern and northeastern Syria through civilian and military councils.

The Syrian Democratic Forces played a leading role in the fight against the Islamic State organization, declaring its defeat in 2019. 

However, pockets of the extremist organization remain active in the desert region of eastern Syria, carrying out attacks against government forces and Kurdish forces.


AFP