We try to provide protection for NGOs in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor: AANES official
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – On Wednesday, an official in the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (AANES) in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor said they are working with the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in coordination with tribal sheikhs to secure protection for NGOs working in the region.
Co-chair of the Deir ez-Zor Civil Council Ghassan al-Youssef said that the targeting of the region by terror cells aims to damage stability in Deir ez-Zor, as it is considered among the strategic and important regions in northeast Syria and is rich with natural resources.
”Preventing organizations’ work in Deir ez-Zor is one of the aspects of targeting stability in the region after the return of terrorist organizations again,” he added.
During the last year, systematic targeting of employees of the AANES, tribal notables, and members of the military forces affiliated with the SDF has continued in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor.
On Sunday, two employees in the Charitable al-Bir Wal Ihsan Association, Watin Muhammad Ali and Muhammad Rashid al-Muhaimid, were shot to death by unknown persons in the town of Shuhail, east of Deir ez-Zor.
Al-Youssef accused local and regional parties of killing notables in the region and moving the cells to damage stability in the region, ”as the attacks were not only by ISIS.”
On Tuesday, the Deir ez-Zor Civil Council recalled in a statement the killing of the employees of the Charitable al-Bir Wal Ihsan Association in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor on Sunday.
The targeting of employees of the Association is the first to be carried out against employees of humanitarian organizations in Deir ez-Zor.
Al-Youssef explained that ”the aim of the terrorist organizations and other cells associated with external parties is to undermine the AANES, as it has met with great success through its close relationship with the community and Arab tribes.”
