By Jwan Shekaki
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – There is no Kurdish-Arabic fighting in Deir ez-Zor, the fighting is between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on one side and individuals defected from the SDF’s Deir ez-Zor Military Council and gunmen infiltrated to the area from the Syrian government held areas on the other side, a field source from the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria said. Half of the SDF fighters are from the Arab community, another source said.
Also, despite the fact that Deir ez-Zor is an Arab-majority area, media outlets – Arabic and Western – insist on naming the SDF’s Operation Security Reinforcement as Kurdish-Arab conflict.
On Aug. 27, the SDF launched a military operation called “Security Reinforcement” with the support of the US-led Global Coalition on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, specifically in Deir ez-Zor, “to eradicate Islamic State (ISIS) sleeper cells, pursue criminals responsible for perpetrating injustices against the local population, and to track down smugglers who exploit the populace’s livelihoods.”
On Aug. 30, the 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, his negative role in increasing the activities of ISIS cells,” according to the SDF.
The operation led to the eruption of clashes between the SDF and gunmen affiliated with the dismissed leader and with the pro-government figure Nawaf al-Bashir 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.
Assuming the Arabic media outlets – especially the Gulf-based ones – have their own agendas in arousing the national sentiment due to the existence of the tribes in most of them, but what about the Western ones that adopt the same narrative of the Arabic ones although they allegedly pretend to be professional and neutral in conveying the events.
Reuters, to start with, said “an uprising by Arab tribes against Kurdish rule that is destabilising northeast Syria.” It continued, “An Arab tribal backlash against the rule of the Kurdish YPG militia has led to clashes, with over 150 killed and dozens injured. The militia forms the backbone of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the uprising is the biggest threat to their rule since they finally drove Islamic State out of a swathe of the country’s north and east in 2019.”
North Press correspondent and other activists on the ground in addition to footages took from the area where clashes are taking place prove that there are no YPG fighters in Deir ez-Zor at all. And to be more precise, the photos and personal information of the fighters lost their lives during the clashes showed that all of them are SDF – not YPG – fighters and from the Arab community.
“Arab tribal leaders say they have been deprived of their oil wealth after the Kurdish-led forces laid their hands on Syria’s biggest oil wells after the departure of Islamic State. They also complain their areas are neglected in favour of Kurdish-majority areas.” This is another tool of incitement by Reuters to inflame tension between the communities of Northeast Syria. Unfortunately, Reuters uses the same language of Syria’s state-run SANA news agency.
“……… There have been repeated clashes between the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces and local Arab tribes in recent months.” Here, the Washington Examiner wants to portray the SDF’s Security Reinforcement as a clash between the Kurds and the Arabs, exactly what the Syrian regime did in 2004 uprising. Let’s be fair, the SDF is not a Kurdish-dominated force.
If we read this paragraph by the Associated Press that says, “The clashes pitted members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces against its former ally the Arab-led Deir el-Zour Military Council and some regional Arab tribesmen who had sided with them.” Everyone can notice the two provocative terms of “Kurdish-led” and “Arab-led”. It is too simple to apply the professional standards away from being provocative. The SDF is the military wing of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) that includes fighters from all the communities of north and east Syria like the Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, Syriacs, Armenians, and Turkmen.
There are many other examples of Western media outlets that use the same provocative language of the Syrian regime and the Turkish-backed opposition. However, the question arises is: What is goal? Just to remind, all the US officials reiterate that the SDF – with its Kurds and Arabs – is the main and important ally in the enduring defeat of ISIS, the terrorist group that threatens the globe. So, it is in everyone’s interest to hasten to provide any kind of help to support the SDF in its Security Reinforcement operation in Deir ez-Zor.