Gunmen kill 6 SDF fighters, 2 AANES employees in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – Unidentified gunmen conducted several attacks in Deir ez-Zor Governorate, eastern Syria, killing six fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and two employees of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and injuring another.
A local from the town of Abu Hamam in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor told North Press that unknown gunmen riding a motorcycle shot at Ismail al-Laban, an employee in the AANES’ Fuel Administration in Deir ez-Zor, and Abdulkarim al-Jalud, head of the Municipality in the town of al-Kishkiyah.
The attack resulted in the killing of al-Laban and the injury of al-Jalud, who was taken to a nearby hospital.
In another incident, Munir al-Mahbash, an employee in the local council of the town of Abu Khashab in the north of Deir ez-Zor, was fatally shot on Friday by unidentified individuals riding a motorcycle, according to a source.
Meanwhile, six SDF fighters were killed on Friday by unidentified gunmen in two separate attacks in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor.
A military source in the SDF said unknown gunmen, who crossed from areas controlled by the Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias in the west of the Euphrates River, attacked SDF ‘s al-Mahata checkpoint in the town of Shaafah in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor.
He added that the attack resulted in the killing of four SDF fighters.
In the meantime in the town of Shuhail in the east of Deir ez-Zor, unknown gunmen attacked a military post of the SDF near the Euphrates River, killing two fighters. The SDF then conducted patrols in the area to pursue the attackers.
On Friday at dawn, the SDF raided the town of Abu Hamam and arrested Muhammad al-Aziz and Karim al-Aboud for being complicit in attacks against military posts and civilian facilities in the area.
On Saturday, the Islamic State (ISIS), via linked media outlets, claimed responsibility for an attack against the SDF in the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor.
The ISIS-linked Amaq agency said in a statement that ISIS militants shot at an SDF fighter riding a motor cycle in the village of Jazrat al-Buhamid in the west of Dier ez-Zor.
The agency claimed in the statement that the attack killed the SDF fighter immediately.