A number of Arab tribes revolted against the SDF last week hours after the US-backed force arrested Ahmed Khbeil, commander of the SDF-linked Deir ez-Zor Military Council better known as Abu Khawla, accusing him of collaborating with the Syrian government, drug trafficking, and failing to curb an increase of Islamic State (ISIS) activities in the area. SDF said on Wednesday that it had recaptured all areas from regime-backed tribesmen.
Abdi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday that they are working on declaring an amnesty for all those people who took arms against them during the recent clashes in the Arab-majority Deir ez-Zor province.
"We have a decision to issue a general amnesty for those involved," he was quoted by Reuters as saying earlier in the day. "We already released half that were arrested, and we will release the rest.”
Abdi said in the post that they are in talks with one of the key Arab tribal leaders who fought against them to mend ties with him.
“We reaffirm our commitment to finding solutions to the problems of Deir ez-Zor through dialogue, with peace, stability, and development as our ultimate goals,” he said.
The Kurdish commander also told Al-Monitor that SDF 25 fighters and seven civilians were killed in the clashes, adding that 97 of their fighters were wounded.
He said the Americans were flying drones over the province “to send a message that they are behind us, supporting us.”
It is not clear how many people were arrested by the SDF during its campaign to recapture areas in the province.
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