By Samer Yassin
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Residents in Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria, are concerned about the extension of the US-Iran conflict into areas in northeastern Syria, especially since both have a foothold in the region.
Tensions have escalated between US forces and Iran-backed militias in various regions of Syria, following the war in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Israel.
Azad Muhammad, a resident of Hasakah, expresses deep concerns about the ongoing expansion of the US-Iran conflict into the region. He views it as an enduring struggle that has now reached their area.
On Nov. 19, the Pentagon said that US sites and bases in Syria and Iraq have been subjected to 61 attacks since Oct. 17 by Iran-backed militias, with 29 in Iraq and 32 in Syria.
Israel targets Iran’s bases in Syria. The US, for its part, strikes military posts of Iran-backed militias in areas controlled by the Syrian government in northern Syria in response to attacks by the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq against US bases in northeastern and eastern Syria.
“There is fear of it turning into a land conflict or evolving into street warfare within Rojava [northeastern Syria],” Muhammad said.
According to Muhammad, these conflicts will have a significant impact, particularly in terms of displacing people from their homes, emphasizing that the region’s population is already burdened by Turkish attacks on their areas.
Farid Muhammad, a resident of Hasakah, adds that the ongoing war between US forces and Iran-backed militias has a major impact on the region, as each power targets the other within Syrian territory.
According to Muhammad, this escalation raises concerns that the war will spread into their region, impacting both the residents and essential service institutions.
“For over 13 years, Syria has endured multiple wars. The conflict between US forces and Iranian militias, with numerous US bases located within cities and residential complexes in Syria, further exacerbates the situation. As a result, the residents are expected to bear the brunt of this war.”
Similar to others, Muhammad al-Khleif, a resident of Hasakah, highlights the concerns of the people regarding the settling of scores between the US and Iran in Syria as a result of the war in Gaza.
“The region’s residents wonder if there will ever be an end to the conflicts caused by foreign countries in their hometowns. Why is the process of settling scores done in the region and many areas in northeastern Syria?”