SDF says four civilians wounded in eastern Deir ez-Zor shooting
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Four civilians, among them a 12-year-old boy, were wounded late Friday after being shot by gunmen from across the Euphrates River in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Saturday.
In a statement, the SDF reported that the attack originated from the western bank of the river, an area under the control of the Syrian transitional government. The incident occurred in the village of Hawijat al-Fayhamat, part of the al-Basira district, as the victims were on the riverbank.
According to the SDF, the injured were identified as Omar Abdul Mansour al-Alawi, 30, Hamada Hamad al-Hattab, 30, 12-year-old Adam Abdulmansour al-Alawi, and Khaled Saleh al-Hamad, 24. All four sustained varying degrees of injuries and were transported to al-Basira Hospital for treatment.
The SDF statement stressed that repeated infiltration attempts and cross-river shootings from the western bank pose a serious threat to civilian safety and stability in the region. It called on the Syrian government to take responsibility for preventing such violations and to act decisively to stop activities that undermine security in the area.
The eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, part of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), has seen sporadic incidents of cross-river fire in recent months. Local authorities say such attacks disrupt daily life in riverbank communities, many of which rely on the Euphrates for transportation, fishing, and agriculture.
The SDF, which controls the eastern bank of the Euphrates with the support of the US-led Global Coalition, regularly conducts security operations aimed at preventing smuggling, infiltration, and militant activity along the river. While no group immediately claimed responsibility for Friday’s shooting, the SDF noted that the source of fire was from territory held by Damascus government forces.