MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – Khalid al-Ahmed, one of the participants in the recent protests in Manbij and its countryside, northern Syria, regrets the casualties and acts he describes as “riots” that benefit parties from outside the city and its countryside.
Al-Ahmed, by his own account, stopped participating in the protests after they deviated from the form of legitimate demands, and called for the entry of Syrian government forces into the city, which led to four casualties at al-Khataf checkpoint at the eastern entrance to the city of Manbij.
On May 31, protests began in the city of Manbij and the main road to the village of al-Hodhod, 7 km northeast of Manbij, during which unknown persons started shooting, which led to the death of a young man and the wounding of three, according to the media of the Military Council in the city.
Activists in the city and participants in the protests said on social media were against mandatory service (known locally as “Self-Defense”) enacted by the Autonomous Administration in 2014 to be implemented later in all areas of its control.
From peace to chaos
Al-Ahmed believes that military service is no longer suitable for him because he is the father of three children, which prompted him to participate in the protests before deciding that they exceeded the legitimate demands and serve agendas of external parties.
“Two weeks after the start of the protests, at first, the protests were peaceful and did not include anything to worry about, but soon the voices of people I did not recognize rose calling for the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces and the return of the Syrian regime to the region,” he said.
“On Tuesday (the second day of protests), protesters headed to the city of Manbij through the eastern gate, and at al-Khataf checkpoint of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish), acts of sabotage began,” he added.
In 2019, the General Council of AANES approved a law that unified the self-defense service in all its regions and set it for 12 months.
However, the Manbij Military Council said in a statement after the eruption of the protests that prior to now, conscription has been carried out for seven years without any problems.
The council accused parties it said were known to exploit protests to fulfill political agendas and try to push the region into chaos and sow discord, taking advantage of the people’s rightful demands.
Shooting
“When we were near al-Khataf checkpoint, we were met by Sheikh Ibrahim al-Bannawi, the deputy of the Manbij Military Council, and he told us that the checkpoint will not oppose us and will allow the protesters to enter the city on the condition that they do not carry out acts of sabotage,” said Muhammad al-Hammadi (a pseudonym), a protester who agreed to send a voice recording without revealing his real name.
“The number of protesters was about a thousand; Asayish personnel at the checkpoint provided us with drinking water,” he told North Press.
“But one of [the protesters] called out “hit them,” [the checkpoint personnel] and described them as dogs, after which they began targeting the checkpoint with stones and hearing the sound of gunfire,” according to al-Hammadi’s account, who said that he could not identify the shooter because of the commotion among the protesters at those moments.
Several videos circulated on social media showing the withdrawal of the checkpoint members from the protest.
“Within moments, acts of sabotage began, a military vehicle and CCTV cameras at the checkpoint were destroyed,” he said.
Al-Hammadi was surprised by chants calling for the entry of the Syrian regime.
“This will serve the regime more, as even those over the age of forty will be forced into compulsory service,” he further explained.
On May 31, the Civil Administration in Manbij imposed a 48-hour curfew, which was extended until it was lifted on June 4 against the background of protests and the killing of one person and the wounding of three, calling on the residents to exercise restraint.
During the days following the protests, sheikhs and clan elders in all regions of north and east Syria issued statements condemning acts of sabotage in Manbij and calling for calm.
Resurrecting the dead
Hajji al-Hassan, an activist in the city of Manbij who participated in the protests, confirmed what al-Hammadi said: “As soon as we reached al-Khataf checkpoint, people targeted the security forces with stones, and shooting began among the protesters.”
He added that Asayish members started shooting in the air after the protesters burned their vehicle, and sabotage operations at the checkpoint affected a room for checking identification and the cameras there.
Unlike al-Hammadi, al-Hassan said that he knows some of those who fueled the situation. “Some of them are loyal to the Syrian government; I will not mention their names, but they were counting on increasing the tension against the Autonomous Administration, especially among those who lost their sons.”
He added, “The pretext was that the administration did not respond to the residents’ demands.”
Videos circulated on social media in which people call for an open war against the Syrian Democratic Forces.
On June 2, Civil and Military Councils of Manbij made a joint statement with tribal sheikhs and figures in Manbij declaring the suspension of conscription in Manbij and its villages and referring it to discussion and study, release of all detainees involved in the recent events, and the formation of an investigation committee regarding the shooting and holding those responsible to account.
Al-Hassan said that those who tried to sow sedition were not satisfied with these understandings, and “additionally, some of them demanded the revival of the dead before they would accept peace.”
Calls for bloodshed
The position regarding the protests changed after their first calls had changed, including not only al-Ahmed, al-Hammadi and al-Hassan, but also eyewitnesses, who confirmed, through social media, that people had worked since its inception to charge and fuel towards more chaos.
The city of Manbij, which links AANES-held areas with Syrian government-held areas and regions held by Turkish-backed armed groups, is witnessing calm following calls for peace from inside and outside the city.
“Matters have turned upside down after some people who are affiliated with known parties tried to exploit people’s just demands and turn them into chaos to fulfill political agendas,” head of Future Syria Party Council in Manbij Azab Aboud said.
“Those parties wish to flood the city with blood,” Aboud added.