Residents in Derik, Syria protest against Russian forces for the third time

Russian forces in Qasr al-Deeb village in the city of Derik, northeastern Syria - North Press

DERIK, Syria (North Press) – Russian forces stationed in the village of Qasr al-Deeb in the countryside of Derik, northeastern Syria on Wednesday, amid protests by the residents against their presence.

 

A Russian patrol consisting of eight military vehicles arrived on Wednesday morning at Qasr al-Deeb village, coming from Girke Lege countryside, where it was stationed on Tuesday.

 

Naeema Youssef, a local from the village of Qasr al-Deeb, told North Press that they do not accept the presence of Russian forces in the village, and that they expelled them the first time.

 

"American troops came and told us they will not let the Russian military police come again, but they are gone and the Russian forces have come again."

 

Hadiya Abdullah, a resident of Derik, expressed her rejection of the Russian presence in the region and said, "We do not know the reason for the Russian presence here…They come and go without knowing the reason."

 

Abdullah accused Russia of seeking to allow Turkey into the Derik region. "We will continue protesting until the Russian forces leave the village and return to their bases," she said.

 

Derik is one of the places where the U.S. forces that lead the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS maintain a military presence after their withdrawal from most of northern Syria according to the decision issued by U.S. President Donald Trump late last year.

 

During the protest, discussions took place between residents and a translator from the Russian forces, where residents accused the Russian forces of not protecting the areas of Afrin, Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad from Turkish attack.

 

In response, Russian officers replied, "We did not sell your areas to the Turks. We asked them not to bomb them, we came to protect what remained against any attacks."

 

This coincided with the arrival of a U.S. patrol in the city of Derik, but it did not meet the Russian forces stationed in the village of Qasr al-Deeb.

 

Last week, during a U.S. patrol in the village after the withdrawal of Russian forces, a US lieutenant named Dram told North Press, "We are doing our best to prevent  Russian forces from coming to the Derik region."

 

Earlier, Russian forces stationed in the vicinity of Qasr al-Deeb village at the beginning of June, amid the fear of the region’s residents of their deployment.

 

 

(Additional reporting by Solnar Muhammad from Malikiya / Derik)