The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Pro-U.S. groups crack down on protests in northern Syria

Damascus, Aug 9 (Prensa Latina) Pro-U.S. groups linked to the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are suppressing protests in the northern provinces of Deir Ezzor and Hasaka and are besieging at least four villages, according to media and social networks.
Reports indicate that the villages of Al Shaji, Al Tayaneh, Al Hawaej and Ziban are under siege by SDF troops, who are even receiving armored vehicles from the U.S. military.
In response to the demonstrations in those areas and the blocking of communication routes, the SDS, made up mainly of Kurdish groups, prevented the entry and exit of the inhabitants, kidnapped more than half a dozen people and introduced reinforcements under the cover of US troops, who even used helicopters on low level and intimidating flights, the reports said.
Protests have increased in the past two weeks, with reports of clashes between members of the Arab population and the SDS, with an unspecified number of casualties or damage, according to various sources.
In the Deir Ezzor region, especially in the areas bordering Iraq and the north and east of the Euphrates River, both the FDS and the United States maintain support bases and control oil and gas fields, and caused special censorship of the population, following a joint agreement to extract hydrocarbons for their own benefit.
Both Syria and other countries condemned this last act and called it theft and plundering of the natural resources of the Levantine nation, while the demonstrations of condemnation extended to several areas of Deir Ezzor and Hasaka.
In these regions, the U.S. military illegally installed a dozen bases, to which various teams constantly enter from border points with neighboring Iraq, according to insistent reports in the media, Syrian military sources and on social networks.

Source: Pro-U.S. groups crack down on protests in northern Syria