Arab tribe disowns Iran-linked group in NE Syria
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – Leading figures from the al-Uqaydat tribe officially disowned on Monday night the armed militants led by Ibrahim al-Hefl, stressing they do not represent the tribe and are instead instruments of Iranian influence and the “Syrian regime.”
Tribal leaders from the al-Uqaydat tribe clarified that the recent military operations in eastern Deir ez-Zor against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) do not reflect the tribe’s stance.
On Aug. 7, armed militants affiliated with the Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias crossed from government-held areas in the western bank of the Euphrates River to the eastern bank to attack the SDF.
These Iranian-backed militias, also called Tribal forces, are led by Ibrahim al-Hefl, a sheikh of the al-Uqaydat tribe, who became known during the clashes in Deir ez-Zor, where he worked to mobilize militants to fight the SDF.
The statement emphasized that the al-Uqaydat tribe never had a single leader, whether in the past or present, highlighting that Ibrahim al-Hefl, his brother, and his uncle do not represent al-Uqaydat tribe but are rather affiliated with the Syrian government and Iran.