ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Thursday accused the Syrian regime of attempting to add fuel to the ongoing clashes between the force and Arab dissident groups in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor following days of deadly fighting.
Clashes have erupted between the US-allied SDF and some Arab tribesmen since Sunday when the force arrested Ahmed Khbeil, better known as Abu Khawla, commander of the SDF-linked Deir ez-Zor Military Council, and four of his colleagues after inviting them to a meeting in Hasaka, northeast Syria (Rojava).
The SDF said in a statement on Thursday that it had taken additional measures against armed groups in Deir ez-Zor without naming them.
“These groups began mobilising to attack our forces positioned in the eastern countryside. Yesterday evening, supplies were sent from security agencies affiliated with the Syrian regime in an attempt to cause civil strife that serves their agendas of pressure and threatening the notables of the region,” read the statement.
The SDF on Wednesday confirmed it had dismissed Abu Khawla and four of his colleagues, accusing them of committing multiple crimes and violations, including “communication and coordination with external entities hostile to the revolution.”
Some media outlets claimed that he had recently gotten closer to the Syrian regime.
The Deir ez-Zor Military Council is responsible for the security in the SDF-held parts of the Arab-majority province, and has played a key role in the military operations against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria.
Abu Khawla has reportedly been replaced by his deputy, Abu Laith Khisham.
Hours after Abu Khawla was arrested, the SDF launched “Operation Security Reinforcement” in Deir ez-Zor, claiming that it followed calls from the area’s commanders and tribal leaders to stop ISIS attacks. Some saw the operation as an effort to prevent resistance from Abu Khawla's supporters in the area.
“Our forces confirm that the ongoing Operation Security Reinforcement in Deir Ezzor was launched based on the demands of the people and notables of the area, as our forces informed the region’s tribal leaders and notables in advance about the operation and its objectives,” said the SDF in the Thursday statement.
Many of the country’s key oilfields, such as Omar and Conoco, are located in the province. The US-led global coalition against ISIS helps the SDF protect these oilfields.
Part of Deir ez-Zor is controlled by forces affiliated to the Syrian regime.
“Should the SDF lose control of this strategically vital region, the U.S. military mission in northeastern Syria will be squeezed into an unsustainably tight corner,” said Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, in an article on Wednesday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said on Thursday that a total of 11 SDF fighters and 20 anti-SDF militants have been killed during recent clashes in Deir ez-Zor.
The global coalition against ISIS reaffirmed its support for SDF in the fight against the group, calling for the latest violence to end.
"We remain focused on working with the Syrian Democratic Forces to ensure the enduring defeat of Daesh [ISIS], in support of regional security and stability. Distractions from this critical work create instability and increase the risk of Daesh resurgence," it said.
"Violence in northeast Syria must cease, and the effort returned to creating peace and stability in northeast Syria, free from the threat of Daesh," added the coalition.
