SDF-held areas in August 2023 | 185 people killed and wounded in acts of violence…bloody war between SDF and tribal forces tops the events…Turkish forces continue military escalation executing over 15 airstrikes

Areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), (SDF-held areas) experienced in August 2023 scores of incidents of security disorder and violations against human rights. In this context, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has monitored and tracked all key developments in SDF-held areas in the past month.

 

 

Deaths in acts of violence 

 

SOHR documented the death of 96 people in August 2023 in light of the ongoing acts of violence in SDF-held areas. Here are further details of those deaths:

 

-35 civilians, including six women and 12 children; they are as follows:

 

• 12 civilians, including three women and eight children, were killed in explosions of old ordnance.

 

• Eight civilians, including two women and a child, were murdered.

 

• Six civilians, including a child, were killed in family and tribal infightings.

 

• Four civilians were killed by ISIS.

 

• Three civilians; a woman and her two children, were killed in Turkish ground bombardment.

 

• A man was killed in an airstrike by a Turkish drone.

 

• A man was killed by Asayish Forces.

 

-31 combatants:

 

• 11 killed in clashes with tribal gunmen.

 

• Nine killed in attacks by ISIS members.

 

• Five persons, including two children and a woman, were killed in clashes between SDF and tribal gunmen.

 

• Four killed in airstrikes by Turkish drones.

 

• One killed in an explosion.

 

• One was killed by Turkish-backed factions.

 

-25 tribal gunmen were killed in clashes with SDF.

 

-Three smugglers were killed by Asayish Forces.

 

-Two ISIS members; one was killed by residents and the other was killed in a security operation by Coalition Forces.

 

In addition, acts of violence in SDF-controlled areas in August left over 89 civilians and combatants injured.

 

 

Bloody war between SDF and tribal forces tops the events

 

In late days of August, SDF-controlled areas in Deir Ezzor countryside experienced a bloody war between tribal gunmen and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The dramatic developments, which have been still ongoing, started on August 27 when SDF arrested the head of the SDF-backed “Deir Ezzor Military Council,” “Abu Khawlah,” in Istrahat Wazir base in Al-Hasakah, as well as arresting other commanders of the formation.

 

In that time, a commander in “Deir Ezzor Military Council” known as “Jalal Al-Khabil” asked International Coalition Forces to interfere and ordered gunmen of his tribe, “Al-Ekaydat” tribe, to besiege SDF headquarters in order to exert pressure on them to set free “Abu Khawlah” and the other besieged group in Al-Hasakah.

 

On the same day, August 27, members of a patrol of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) stormed the headquarters of “Baz” press agency, and arrested the manager of the agency, “Ahmed Al-Ajouz,” four journalists and several guards, taking them to a security centre in Al-Hasakah city. Sources reported that other individuals working for the agency hid over concerns to be arrested as well.

 

Following these rapid and successive events, violent clashes erupted between SDF and tribal forces in different areas controlled by the Autonomous Administration in Deir Ezzor, during which the two sides exchanged control of several cities, towns and villages. The clashes were concentrated in Al-Rubaydah, Al-Izbah, Abriha, Muwayleh, Al-Harijah, Al-Jerthi, Al-Shuhayl, Abu Hamam, the outskirts of Al-Busayrah, Theban, Jadid Ekaydat, Jadid Bakarah, Al-Harijah and Muhaymidah in the eastern, western and northern countryside of Deir Ezzor.

 

During the period between August 27 and August 31, the bloody clashes left 45 fatalities; they are as follows:

 

• Five civilians, including two little girls and a woman.

 

• 25 gunmen and tribesmen.

 

• 11 SDF fighter, including five fighters of Liwaa Al-Shamal Al-Democrati (the Northern Democratic Brigade) from Idlib.

 

• Four persons who were killed in a raid by an SDF patrol in Daman town.

 

In addition, the clashes left at least 45 persons injured: 28 tribesmen and gunmen loyal to the discharged leader of “Deir Ezzor Military Council Forces” and 17 SDF fighters.

 

Meanwhile, Sheikh “Nawwaf Al-Bashir,” the elder of Al-Bakara tribe and head of the Iranian-backed militia of “Osoud Al-Ashayer,” appeared in a video footage abetting killing of Arab fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), where he called upon the people of Deir Ezzor tribes to support Al-Ekaydat tribe and fight alongside its gunmen against SDF and to kill Arab fighters operating in the ranks of SDF and desecrate their bodies, as they are “traitors,” as he described. “Al-Bashir” also called upon tribesmen to defect from SDF. It is worth noting that “Nawwaf Al-Bashir,” who is the a senior figure supporting and pledging loyalty to Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah in Syria, has lured and persuaded a large number of gunmen of Arab tribes to join Iranian-backed militias and adopt the Shiite ideology.

 

On the other hand, tribal elders and dignitaries in north-east Syria called for putting an end to the ongoing infighting in Deir Ezzor, which has left tens of fatalities.

 

Furthermore, elders and dignitaries of Al-Bakarah tribe met with SDF commanders in Al-Ma’amel area, in presence of the International Coalition’s coordinator, in order to reach a solution putting an end to the infighting between SDF and gunmen of “Deir Ezzor Military Council,” form a negotiation committee and open roads.

 

The Syrian Observatory would like to point out that all information and figures mentioned in this report regarding the bloody war and dramatic clashes between SDF and tribesmen in Deir Ezzor countryside have been documented and updated until August 31, and this report does not include the latest developments in September, which will be highlighted in the next month’s booklet.

 

 

Ongoing military escalation by Turkish forces

 

Turkish military operations, mainly ground bombardment and drone attacks, were documented in areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration on several occasions in August. SOHR activists documented the death of a woman and her two children and injury of other civilians in Turkish ground bombardment in the past month, while Turkish drone attacks left five fatalities: a civilian and four members of SDF-backed military formations. Circumstances of August’s attacks by Turkish forces can be summarised as follows:

 

Ground attacks

 

• August 3: Five civilians were injured due to artillery fire by Turkish forces and their proxies on Abosh village in northern Tel Tamr in Al-Hasakah countryside, were they were taken to the hospital for treatment.

 

• August 8: A woman and her two children were killed, while another women and two children were injured after a shell was fired by Turkish forces on their house in Al-Shirka Al-Nokta Sifr Village on the M4 road northern of Al-Raqqa. The injured people were taken to the hospital to receive proper medication.

 

• August 8: A woman and a young man were injured in the past hours, after being targeted by the Turkish border guards “Jandarma” while they were attempting to cross the Syrian-Turkish border, through smuggling roads, from Tel Halaf town in Ras Al-Ain\Sare Kaniyeh countryside, within “Peace Spring” area, where they were taken to the hospital for treatment.

 

• August 9: Turkish forces and their proxies fired heavy artillery shells on six villages within SDF-held areas, where the shelling concentrated on Dada Abdal, Um Al-Kef, Bobi, Al-Asadiyah, Al-Musheirfah and Tel Shanan villages in countryside of Tel Tamer and Abu Rasin northwest of Al-Hasakah.

 

• August 13: Turkish forces and their proxies in “Peace Spring” area fired heavy artillery shells on five villages within SDF-held areas, where the firing concentrated on Um Al-Keif, Al-Qasmiyah, Al-Benjah, Al-Bobi and Dada Abdal villages in Tel Tamer and Abu Rasein countryside northwest Al-Hasakah.

 

• August 22: Turkish forces and their proxies have fired heavy artillery shells from their positions in “Peace Spring” areas, targeting Yalda farm and silos of Om Al-Kaif in Tel Tamr countryside north western of Al-Hasakah.

 

• August 28: A regime soldier was killed and two others were injured in Turkish ground shelling on Hawin Base in Al-Furat Village in Manbij countryside eastern of Aleppo.

 

• August 31: Turkish forces stationed at a base in Jarablus city targeted, with heavy artillery, Boraz village in western Ain Al-Arab (Kobani) in eastern Aleppo countryside.

 

Drone attacks

 

• August 3: A Turkish drone attacked a car on Faru road in Al-Hasakah countryside, killing four fighters of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

 

• August 13: A Turkish drone attacked a military checkpoint of the SDF-backed Manbij Military Council in Tukhar village in Manbij in the eastern countryside of Aleppo.

 

• August 13: Three regime military posts near Tukhar village came under attack by Turkish drones.

 

• August 14: A Turkish kamikaze drone attacked a position in Tel Al-Laban village to the west of Tel Tamr district, but no casualties were reported.

 

• August 15: A Turkish drone attacked a car on Showaysh farm in Tel Tamr countryside in north-western Al-Hasakah, leaving several people injured.

 

• August 23: A Turkish drone targeted a car carrying journalists near Mazar Shaikh Jabr Village on Ali Faro Road between Al-Hasakah and Al-Qamishly Cities within areas of the Autonomous Administration in Al-Hasakah countryside, killing the driver and injuring another person.

 

• August 31: Turkish drones attacked eight positions in areas controlled by “Manbij Military Council Forces,” which operate under the banner of Syrian Democratic Forces, in Manbij countryside, Awn Al-Dadat, Muhsenly and Bokharat in the east of Aleppo province.

 

Escalating activity by ISIS cells met by large-scale security campaigns

 

ISIS continued its operations in areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration, where it carried out several armed attacks and assassinations through gunfire, attacks with sharp tools and planting IEDs and landmines.

 

The Syrian Observatory documented 21 operations, including armed attacks and explosions, carried out by ISIS cells in SDF-held areas, all in Deir Ezzor, in August 2023. According to SOHR statistics, these attacks left 13 fatalities: four civilians and nine combatants of formations operating in areas controlled by the Autonomous Administration.

 

Those operations are distributed regionally as follows:

 

• Al-Raqqah: Four operations left three combatants and one civilian dead.

 

• Deir Ezzor: 14 operations left three civilians and four combatants dead.

 

• Al-Hasakah: Three operations left two combatants dead.

 

Meanwhile, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the International Coalition, continued their large-scale security campaigns to curb the escalating activity by the organisation and its affiliated cells in SDF-held areas. According to SOHR activists, 12 anti-ISIS campaigns were carried out in August 2023, including several joint campaigns with International Coalition Forces. The 12 operations led to the arrest of 15 members of ISIS cells and the death of one ISIS members.

 

 

Escalating security chaos: Scores of infightings and murder crimes

 

SOHR activists have reported noticeable escalation of tribal and family infightings in SDF-controlled areas in August 2023 in light of the growing security chaos, proliferation of arms and military and security powers’ inability to control the security situation. In the past month, SOHR documented nine infightings which left six people, including a child, dead and ten others, including a child, injured; they are distributed regionally as follows:

 

• Deir Ezzor: Six infightings left three people, including a child, dead and seven others, including a child, injured.

 

• Al-Hasakah: One infighting left two persons dead.

 

• Al-Raqqah: Two infightings left one person dead and three others injured.

 

Here are further details on the circumstances of tribal and family infightings in SDF-controlled areas in August 2023:

 

• August 1: A displaced man from Al-Sayyal town in eastern Deir Ezzor was stabbed to death with a sharp tool during a fight which followed a dispute over the possession of a piece of furniture between him and a group of young men of one family in an outdoors market in the SDF-controlled town of Al-Sha’fah in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.

 

• August 2: Violent infightings with light weapons erupted between two families of Al-Sokhany Tribe in Al-Badaw Neighbourhood in the centre of Al-Raqqa City, amid a state of tension and chaos in the region, where the Internal Security Forces “Al-Asayesh” interfered and cordoned the neighbourhood with more than seven patrols and dozens of members to break the clashes. However, no casualties were reported.

 

• August 11: A minor was shot dead in the head by a bullet fired by his uncle, following clashes between two families in Zaiban Town in eastern Deir Ezzor countryside within SDF-held areas.

 

• August 13: Violent clashes with medium and light weapons erupted between “Al-Eid” and “Al-Muhemeed” families for unknown reasons in Al-Hariyjah village in northern Deir Ezzor countryside within SDF-held areas.

 

• August 13: A civilian was killed and three others were injured during a fight between a group of civilians over a piece of land in Al-Hamrat Town in SDF-held areas in eastern Al-Raqqa countryside, where the fight escalated to armed clashes.

 

• August 19: A young man was killed and two others including a child were injured in armed clashes between two families in Zaiban Town eastern of Deir Ezzor, with no information regarding the reasons behind the clashes.

 

• August 21: Four young men were injured, including serious conditions, in a quarrel erupted during the past hours between two young men, which evolved to an armed infighting between their families, amid an exchange of firing in Hajin market in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, within SDF-held areas, where the injured were taken to the hospitals of Al-Hasakah for treatment.

 

• August 25: A young man was injured following quarrels that escalated to armed clashes between two families of one tribe in Al-Hassin Town in northern Deir Ezzor countryside within SDF-held areas.

 

• August 30: Two people were killed in tribal clashes between two families in the desert of Anad Village in Markada Town in southern Al-Hasakah countryside, after the renewal of an old vendetta.

 

 

Moreover, SOHR documented seven murder crimes in areas controlled by the Autonomous Administration in the past month over domestic violence, thefts and other unknown motives. These murders left eight fatalities, including two women and a child; they are distributed regionally as follows:

 

• Al-Hasakah: Two women.

 

• Al-Raqqah: A young man and a child.

 

• Aleppo: A man in Manbij and two men in Ain Al-Arab (Kobani).

 

• Deir Ezzor: A man.

 

Further details of the circumstances of those crimes can be summarised as follows:

 

• August 5: A displaced young man form Aleppo city was shot dead this morning by one of his relatives, after a disagreement between them in Al-Tabaqah city in Al-Raqqah countryside.

 

• August 6: Residents found the body of a woman who was killed with a sharp tool by her husband, in mysterious circumstances, inside her house in the military neighbourhood in Al-Hasakah city, who then fled out of the area with his two children, without knowing the reasons and motivations behind the crime.

 

• August 11: A young man killed his sister with a sharp object inside their house in Al-Tala’ae Neighbourhood in areas of the Autonomous Administration in Al-Hasakah City, before he gave himself up to the Internal Security Forces “Al-Asayesh”, where the young man was under the effect of alcohol, with no information regarding the reasons behind the crime.

 

• August 12: Residents have found the body of a 37 years-old civilian from Shamer Al-Sa’eden Village in southern Aleppo countryside, where he was shot dead inside his car on Jarablus Road northern of Manbij City in eastern Aleppo countryside.

 

• August 16: A civilian in his 30s shot members of the family of his wife with his gun, before shooting himself too in Ain Al-Arab (Kobany) in Aleppo countryside, where he, the brother of his wife and her father were killed and three other members of the wife’s family were injured.

 

• August 20: A civilian shot one of his cousins dead after disputes and quarrels between them in Mohaimada Town in western Deir Ezzor countryside, while SDF interfered between the cousins to secure the situation.

 

• August 23: A young man in his 20s stabbed a 15 years-old child to death with a white weapon, following quarrels between them over an irrigation canal in Al-Khayala Village western of Al-Raqqa within SDF-held areas.

 

Ongoing deportation of foreigners of families of ISIS members

 

On August 29, the Department of Foreign Relations of the Autonomous Administration in northern and eastern of Syria handed over 64 children and 30 woman with Kyrgyzstani nationalities of ISIS families, from Roj and Al-Hawl Camps in Al-Hasakah countryside to a delegation of Kyrgyzstan led by the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, according to an official document signed by both sides.

 

This comes in light of the agreements signed between the Department of Foreign Relations of the Autonomous Administration and the countries that have people in camps in areas of the Administration.

 

While on August 7, a delegation of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry visited Al-Hawl Camp at eastern of Al-Hasakah and met the administration of the camp and discussed the mechanism of returning 150 Iraqi families monthly from Al-Hawl camp to Iraq, in coordination with SDF.

 

 

Stifling living conditions hard hit residents

 

SOHR activists reported seeing residents in Al-Hasakah city using strollers to transport jerrycans of water in light of the ongoing water crisis in the city due to the intentional suspension of pumping water by Turkish forces and their proxy factions from Allouk station in “Peace Spring area to Al-Hasakah city and countryside.

 

Meanwhile, residents in Al-Hasakah city are struggling with the extremely hot weather, especially with the acute shortage of water and unaffordable prices of water tanks which reached 20,000 SYP every tank.

 

On the other hand, the Autonomous Administration have sent tens of water trucks from Al-Qamishli city and Al-Raqqah to Al-Hasakah city as relief procedures, as well as the delivery of tens of water trucks under initiatives and support convoys. However, those quantities of water have not cover the needs of the city’s residents.

 

 

Growing public protests

 

Also in August, SDF-controlled areas experienced several demonstrations and sit-in protests, condemning dreadful living conditions and supporting Al-Suwaidaa uprising against the Syrian regime. Further details on those demonstrations and sit-in protests can be summarised as follows:

 

• August 2: Dozens of people staged a protest in Al-Hamr village on the road between Al-Hawl and Al-Hasakah in the early hours of this morning, amid blocking the roads with burning tires, expressing their rage due to deteriorating living conditions following the sharp fall in exchange rate of Syrian pound against the US dollar. The protesters demanded improvement of living and economic conditions in the region.

 

• August 2: A number of the internal transport drivers went on strike and suspended their work in the centre of Al-Raqqah city, after the raising of the fuel price, and not agreeing to raise the fare of the passengers. SOHR activists in Al-Raqqah city confirmed that the drivers protested against the Transportation Office and the People’s Municipality in Al-Raqqah, demanding a new fare that commensurate with the raising of Fuel price and the collapse of the Syrian Lira against the American dollar. Activists mentioned that the strike, which entered its second day, created a crisis in the transporting movement for the residents of the city and its neighbourhoods who are suffering from the lack of buses, overcrowding and using old buses that are not enough to serve them, particularly in the popular neighbourhoods far from the centre of the city and the markets, in light of the high price of the fare of the “private taxi” that not all residents can afford.

 

• August 11: Dozens of residents of Al-Henna Village in Al-Shadady countryside southern of Al-Hasakah went out on protests, amid closure of primary roads with burning tires expressing their discontent due to the deteriorating living conditions, with demands for the concerned authorities to improve the living and economic conditions in the region.

 

• August 24: Dozens of people staged a sit-in protest in Al-Hassan town in western Deir Ezzor countryside within SDF-held area, demanding the overthrow of the Syrian regime and expressing solidarity with residents in Al-Suwaidaa province that has witnessed protests and civil disobedience for days due to deteriorating living conditions. The protesters held banners with slogans written on them that read: “the Syrian Revolution will continue until victory,” “we will never forget the chemical attack on Al-Ghotah,” “we will never forget Ghayath Matar and Hamzah Al-Khateeb.”

 

 

Two kidnapping cases and ongoing recruitment of children by “Al-Shabiba Al-Thawriyah”

 

SOHR activists have documented the kidnapping of four persons, including a young lady and two children, in August in SDF-controlled areas, where unknown people kidnapped an 18-years-old girl, in Al-Harmoushiyah village, within SDF-held areas in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor.

 

While on August 19, unidentified people kidnapped a young man from Al-Baghouz Town working in a store selling ceramics, in Al-Hasakah City.

 

On the other hand, “Al-Shabiba Al-Thawriyah” (the Revolutionary Youth) kidnapped two children in Manbij in Aleppo countryside in the first ten days of August.

 

 

We, at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), call upon the authorities in SDF-held areas to fulfil people’s demands that call for the improvement of social and living conditions and not punish them for demanding their rights. We also call on the International Coalition and SDF to intensify their security campaigns against active and sleeping ISIS cells in various areas in east Euphrates to prevent the revival of ISIS which poses a threat to local, regional and international security.

 

SOHR calls upon the Autonomous Administration in north and east Syria, Syria Democratic Forces, and all relevant authorities to put an end to the ongoing violations by “Al-Shabiba Al-Thawriyah” (the Revolutionary Youth) in the east Euphrates region.