Fears over the lives of 4 members of the Arab Elite Forces who were kidnapped by the organization days ago east of the Euphrates River
The fate of the 4 persons who were kidnapped by the “Islamic State” organization on the 25th of October 2018, within ISIS last enclave in the east of the Euphrates River in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, on charge of being members of the “Elite Forces”, is still unknown, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has learned that the 4 persons were former fighters of the Arab Elite Forces who have quitted fighting since Al-Raqqah Battles and they have no relations to the ongoing clashes and battles in the east of the Euphrates, amid fears of being executed by the organization for being of the Arab clans in the area, while the Syrian Observatory published on the 4th of May 2018, that it monitored the breakout of clashes in Abu Hamam area at the eastern banks of Euphrates River in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, between al-Nukhba Forces against members from the Syria Democratic Forces, where the clashes coincided with the flight of the International Coalition warplanes in the sky of the area, reliable sources informed the Syrian Observatory that this outbreak of clashes came in the wake of tension which took place on Thursday in Abu Hamam area, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory: members of the Syria Democratic Forces asked a commander of al-Nukhba Force in the area that they hand over their entire weapons, and gave them until dawn of today, Friday, and that if they did not hand over their weapons the International Coalition will be given the coordinates of areas of their presence as if they were members of the “Islamic State” organization, followed by a verbal altercation between both parties in front of the house of commander, leading to shooting between both parties, after which the wife of the commander and a member of al-Nukhba Forces were wounded, also 2 members of the Syria Democratic Forces were injured during the shooting, and the area is witnessing discontent on the backdrop of these events, amid fears from the outbreak of an Arab – Kurdish strife, it worth mentioning that al-Nukhba Forces belong to the former chairman of the Syrian opposition coalition Ahmad al-Jarba, who fought under the banner of the International Coalition in the clashes of eastern Syria, and previously refused to be part of the Syria Democratic Forces.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also published on the 3rd of October 2017, that the military police of the Syria Democratic Forces, released Yasser Al-Dahla, the leader of al-Bakkara Youth Gathering of Deir Ezzor Military Council of the SDF, 5 days after arresting him, in which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 1st of October 2017, that the tension prevail among the forces of “Jazeera Storm” Operation, which was launched on the 7th of September 2017, in order to control east Euphrates, northwestern countryside of Deir Ezzor from the side of the east of Euphrates River and the southern countryside of Al-Hasakah, where they managed to control large areas in the northern countryside of Deir Ezzor and reached an area close to the banks opposite to Deir Ezzor city, al-Sor town and Koniko gas plant and field which is the largest plant and gas field in Syria, and other areas of the eastern Euphrates, reliable sources informed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the tension came after the arrest of Yasser al-Dahla by the military police of SDF, Yasser al-Dahla is the leader of al-Bakkara Youth Gathering and he previously defected from the Syrian Elite Forces and joined Deir Ezzor Military Council of the Syria Democratic Forces, in which leading sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that Yasser Al-Dahla remains in detention for the fourth consecutive day, and leadership sources in Deir Ezzor Military Council attributed the reason of arresting Yasser al-Dahla to “military excesses he had related to the lack of effective participation in the ongoing military operations east of Euphrates and the northern countryside of Deir Ezzor, and the lack of military discipline, as well as the lack of participants of the forces of al-Bakkara Youth Gathering in “Jazeera Storm” Operation, in addition to violations related to stealing civilian property from the areas which were controlled by the Gathering, and that Al-Dahla was arrested with 4 other leaders and members of the Gathering by the military discipline of Deir Ezzor military Council”, while these accusations against Yasser al-Dahla were met by denial by those who are close to al-Dahla of al-Bakkara Youth Gathering , where they informed the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the arrests were made against the backdrop of “the desire of those defected of “Euphrates Shield” Operation to join al-Bakkara Youth Gathering , in addition to the desire of others to join the ranks of al-Bakkara Youth Gathering , and because Deir Ezzor Military Council did not allow the emerge of a military figure, and that al-Dahla was threatened by halting the military action with him”. People close to the Gathering accused Deir Ezzor Military Council and the Military Police of “fabricating malicious charges against Yasser Al-Dahla and those detained with him”, where they fear “the outbreak of a tribal disorder between Deir Ezzor Military Council and al-Bakkara Youth Gathering”