Representations of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria in Europe
Samer Yassin
30 sep. 2023
Tribal leaders in northeastern Syria condemned in a statement at the al-Baggara Tribe council in the city of Hasakah, northeastern Syria, the recent events in Deir ez-Zor and the attempts of external parties to incite strife.
Hasakah, Syria. On Aug. 30, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the dismissal of commander of Deir ez-Zor Military Council, Ahmad al-Khabil, known as Abu Khawla, from duty, for his involvement “in multiple crimes and violations, including communication and coordination with external entities hostile to the revolution, committing criminal offenses and engaging in drug trafficking, mismanaging of the security situation, and his negative role in increasing the activities of ISIS cells,” according to the SDF.
The operation sparked clashes between the SDF and gunmen affiliated with the dismissed leader and with Nawaf al-Bashir, leader of al-Baggara tribe and a pro-Iranian figure whose groups are active in the western bank of the Euphrates which is under the control of the Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias.
On Sep. 26, the SDF announced expelling the gunmen from Diban and regaining control over posts on the Euphrates River they had retreated from before.
The tribal leaders’ statement said that “the parties attempting to fuel strife are Iran and Turkey, seeking to exploit the existing tension in the region and drag it into chaos through the recent events that took place in Deir ez-Zor.”
A number of tribal leaders and elders from Arab and Kurdish tribes participated in the statement, as well as representatives from political parties and organizations representing the Syriac and Yazidi people.
The statement also highlighted that some individuals and entities are trying “to exploit the names of their tribes to become masters of wealth, but they only represent themselves.”
“The SDF has no separatist intentions, and all tribes believe that these forces have worked to protect peace and security in the region and embrace all its inhabitants,” the statement read.
Abdulbasit Abdulhadi al-Ali, a prominent figure from the al-Shaitat clan, said that the tribes of Deir ez-Zor have no connection to the recent events and are not involved in any way.
He further added that the tribes of Deir ez-Zor reject strife, emphasizing that the SDF response to the external parties, armed groups, and those operating outside the law was carried out upon the request of the tribes themselves.