The northeastern province of Hasakah is witnessing a sharp security escalation, coinciding with escalating tensions between the Kurdish SDF militia and Arab tribes, particularly around Jabal Abdul Aziz and the Nashwa Road.
The SDF closed the road linking Nashwa and the mountain, fearing movements by the Bakara tribe, which detained eight SDF members, including two prominent leaders from Qandil, on Tuesday.
In a separate incident, an ambush on the Abu Khashab road targeted an SDF patrol with landmines, killing four members and destroying two vehicles, further complicating the situation.
In parallel, the SDF carried out a widespread arrest campaign in several neighborhoods in Hasakah, targeting dozens of civilians, increasing tension and anxiety among the population.
The situation in Hasakah is heading towards further deterioration, with the ongoing escalation between the SDF and the tribes, amid fears of a widespread security breakdown in the province.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Defense announced the death of a Syrian army soldier during the thwarting of an infiltration attempt by groups affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) toward army positions in the Tal Maaz area east of Aleppo.
In a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the ministry explained that two SDF groups attempted to infiltrate at dawn today, leading to violent clashes that resulted in the martyrdom of a soldier. Army units were able to thwart the operation and force the attackers to withdraw.
The statement added that SDF forces continue to repeatedly target army positions in Manbij and Deir Hafer, in addition to intermittently closing roads in Aleppo city. The statement considered these actions a violation of agreements signed with the Syrian state, warning of "new consequences" if the escalation continues.
Swathes of north and northeast Syria are controlled by a Kurdish-led administration whose de facto army, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), spearheaded the fight that helped defeat ISIS in Syria in 2019.
Despite last March's agreement between the SDF and the Damascus government, Kurdish forces remain evasive, attempting to circumvent integration into the new Syrian army. Kurdish fears are growing with the growing rapprochement between Washington and Damascus, and President Ahmed al-Sharaa's full support for extending state sovereignty across all Syrian territory.
On Monday, Tensions were escalated between a number of Syrian tribes and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in recent hours, with successive statements declaring a general mobilization, in line with Sheikh Faraj al-Hamoud al-Salama's call to fight the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants and their allied local fighters.
Sulaiman al-Mashi, a representative of the al-Boubna tribe, confirmed that the tribe had declared a general and permanent mobilization until an official statement was issued canceling it, stressing that "the enemies have not yet sheathed their swords."
The al-Bujaber tribe, led by Abu al-Mu'tasim, also joined the movement, declaring the overcoming of tribal differences and prioritizing the homeland and land over all considerations. They called for broad participation in the mobilization "to achieve freedom, justice, and the protection of rights."
In the "Peace Spring" area, members of the al-Bu Shaaban tribes (al-Bu Dhahir, al-Walda, al-Huwaywat, al-Afadla, al-Amirat, and al-Ja'abat) declared a general mobilization against the SDF, affirming their commitment to continuing this mobilization until their goals are achieved.
Arab-majority Deir Ezzor province, a resource-rich region which borders Iraq, is bisected by the Euphrates river and is home to dozens of local tribal communities, some of whose fighters joined the SDF in its battle against IS.
Zaman al-Wasl
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