Tensions Heighten in Hasaka after Abduction of Syrian Army-Affiliated Forces by Kurds

Tensions increased between the popular forces supported by Damascus and the US-backed Kurds in Hasaka province after the latter’s provocative acts against Damascus.

The Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper quoted dissident sources as saying on Thursday that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) kidnapped a number of National Defense Forces (NDF) affiliated to the Syrian army in the town of Qamishli.

They added that the Kurds refrained from releasing the abducted forces, noting that the NDF has detained 4 Kurdish fighters in response.

Al-Watan reported that several roads have been closed and snipers have been deployed in the region after tensions increased between the two sides, adding that the SDF has warned that it will abduct the family members of the NDF forces in Qamishli if its forces are not freed by the army.

It added that the SDF has occupied the buildings of a state power generation company in al-Nashweh district in the Southern parts of Hasaka in the past two days.

The SDF also detained a reporter of a Syrian news channel in Qamishli a few days ago accusing him of collaboration in the start of the recent unrests in the region.

Hasaka and Deir Ezzur provinces in Eastern Syria have been the scenes of large-scale protests in recent months concurrent with intensified tensions in SDF-controlled areas.

Last month, the US-backed SDF sent a new military convoy to Deir Ezzur in Eastern Syria from Hasaka to suppress the popular uprisings there as people’s protests against the SDF had increased, sources said.

Local sources in Deir Ezzur reported that the residents of the city of al-Basireh in Deir Ezzur held a public strike against the SDF’s mistreatment of the people in Deir Ezzur.

The sources noted that the popular uprisings in Deir Ezzur heightened after the SDF conducted an armed robbery by using military vehicles.

The SDF sent a military convoy comprising 20 military vehicles and so-called anti-riot forces to crush the people in al-Basireh city.