Syria Support Movement solidarity with the Syrian people
from the News Desk at The Cradle, September 28, 2023
Arab tribal fighters have killed at least 30 members of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) over three days of surprise attacks on SDF checkpoints in Syria’s eastern Deir Ezzor province, Sputnik reported on 28 September.
According to local sources speaking to Sputnik’s correspondent, Arab tribal fighters concentrated the attacks on SDF forces in the towns and villages along the east bank of the Euphrates River near the Al-Omar oil field, where occupying US forces have established an illegal military base. These towns include Dhiban, Al-Tayyana, and Al-Kashkiya of the Akeidat tribe and Abu Hamam, Al-Busayrah, and Al-Shuheil of the Shaitat tribe.
The sources revealed to Sputnik that “the attacks carried out by members of the Arab tribes, during the past two days, resulted in the killing of at least 30 militants loyal to the American army from the SDF militia, and the wounding of others who were transferred to the Al-Omar field base.”
Members of the Arab tribes have begun to adopt new tactics in launching their attacks on the positions of SDF fighters.
A Sputnik correspondent in Deir Ezzor said, “In recent days, in their operations against the militants of the SDF militia loyal to the American army, the members of the Arab tribes have relied on a sudden and surprising attack on the military points affiliated with the SDF.”
The SDF has been confronting the tribal fighters with drones, which targeted tribal members and civilian homes, leading to the death of several civilians, including children and women.
The Kurdish-dominated SDF conquered Arab-majority areas in Deir Ezzor and Raqqa governorates in 2017 while working as a US proxy in the race against the Syrian army to defeat ISIS and win control of Syria’s strategic energy and wheat-producing regions.
Fighting between the SDF and Arab tribal fighters began in August of this year when the SDF detained the leader of its affiliated Arab militia, the Deir Ezzor Military Council (DEMC).
Arab tribal fighters led by Sheikh Ibrahim al-Hafel of the Al-Akeidat tribe then rebelled against the SDF, seeking to end Kurdish domination of the Arab regions east of the Euphrates River.
According to reporting from Palestinian journalist Wael Essam in Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Sheikh Hafel has received assistance from fellow tribal members linked with the Syrian government during his fight against the SDF.
When SDF forces besieged his stronghold in the town of Dhiban on the third day of the armed uprising, Hafel fled to the town of Mahkan on the west bank of the Euphrates and then to Deir Ezzor city, which are both under Syrian government control. Hafel held meetings with pro-government tribal figures and government military officials.
Essam reports that the SDF killed several civilians in bombings from drones, which angered the tribes and motivated them to rebel in solidarity with the victims.
Essam reports that weapons are being smuggled across the Euphrates river from the Al-Shamiya region on the west bank via “cruiser” boats to fighters in several villages, including Al-Hawaij, Dhiban, Al-Tayyana, and Abu Hardoub. From there, armed tribal groups attack SDF forces before crossing the river and returning to Al-Shamiya.
US military officials have sought to mediate between Sheikh Hafel and the SDF to end the violence and maintain de facto US control over northeast Syria.
However, US officials recognize Hafel’s links to Damascus and wish to maintain Kurdish hegemony in the Arab regions. They have therefore sought to sideline Hafel as leader of the Akeidat tribe and replace him with Sheikh Hafel al-Hafel, who has US citizenship and has resided in the US since 1985.
Because Sheikh Hafel al-Hafel is willing to accept a significant role for the Kurds in leading the region, he has become a choice for the US despite his modest influence and long absence living abroad.
The Syrian government has been in negotiations with the Kurdish leadership of the SDF to restore sovereignty to areas in northeast Syria under SDF control to the state. The tribal rebellion led by Ibrahim al-Hafel has improved the leverage of the Syrian government in these talks, Essam added.
