BEIRUT: In eastern Syria, clashes have reignited between US-backed Kurdish-led forces and rival Arab militiamen, prompting the imposition of a curfew in the region.
The skirmishes have unveiled underlying tensions within the coalition that has effectively suppressed the Islamic State group for several years.
On Monday, reports emerged detailing the enforcement of an open-ended curfew by the Syrian Democratic Forces in various towns within Deir el-Zour province, including the town of Ziban, situated near the Iraqi border—an area where numerous American troops are stationed. The U.S. military presence in the region dates back to 2015 and has been integral in the fight against the militant Islamic State group, given the province’s rich oil reserves.
Al Mayadeen, a pan-Arab TV station, reported that during the recent escalation, Arab gunmen seized parts of Ziban, resulting in casualties among the Kurdish-led forces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based opposition war monitor, noted that some of the Arab fighters crossed over from government-controlled areas.
Local media in the province indicated that some Kurdish fighters chose to retreat from the area as the clashes intensified, though specific details remained limited.
Accusations have been made by the Kurdish-led forces, blaming the Syrian government for inciting the violence by permitting rival Arab militiamen to cross the Euphrates River. The initial bout of clashes erupted in late August, claiming the lives of 25 Kurdish fighters, 29 members of Arab tribal groups and armed individuals, along with nine civilians, as reported by the Syrian Democratic Forces.
The government of President Bashar Assad in Damascus views the Kurdish-led forces as secessionist fighters and condemns their collaboration with the United States in countering IS, as well as their establishment of a self-governed enclave in eastern Syria.
Simultaneously, ongoing tensions persist between Turkey, with troops stationed in Syria, and Turkish-backed opposition groups in the northwest of Syria, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, resulting in frequent clashes.
