Armed cells target a tribal leader and his son in north-eastern Syria

Suleiman al-Darwish, a tribal leader in al-Shaddadi

Al-Shaddadi – North-Press Agency

Bassem Shuwaikh

The former president of al-Shaddadi tribal council was attacked on Monday morning by unidentified gunmen believed to be Islamic State (ISIS) sleeper cells in the area.

Sources confirmed to North-Press reporter that a group of unidentified gunmen attacked the house of Suleiman Darwish, the former president of al-Shaddadi tribal council on motorcycles at dawn today, where they shot him and his son inside their house.

The sources added that as a result of the shooting, the son, Ali al-Darwish lost his life, while Suleiman al-Darwish was shot with several gunshots, after which he was taken into a hospital in the city of Hasakah. The Internal Security Forces (Asayish) investigated the incident after they imposed a security cordon on the targeted house in al-Shaddadi, southern Hasakah governorate.

Assassinations and bombings have recently increased in conjunction with the ongoing Turkish military invasion in northeastern Syria, especially by ISIS sleeper cells.