Al-Hasaka governorate – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

SOHR sources say that regime forces and their security services began to incite the residents and their supporters to hold a demonstration against the siege imposed on them by “Al-Asaish” in the cities of al-Hasaka and al-Qamishli on Sunday morning.

According to Syrian Observatory sources, the “Self-Administration” of the northern and eastern regions of Syria warned residents living in regime-controlled neighbuorhoods in al-Qamishli and al-Hasaka not to approach the frontlines between “Al-Asayish” and regime forces. 

 SOHR sources said earlier today that the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) continue the siege they have imposed on regime-held areas in Al-Hasakah and Al-Qamishli cities for 20 consecutive days. However, the situation in each city is different, as in Al-Hasakah city regime forces are in control of a relatively small area, the security zone and other parts of the city. Meanwhile, Asayish Forces impose a full siege on regime-held areas in Al-Hasakah city, even on civilians living there, preventing anyone from getting in and out of these areas and banning the entry of goods and supplies.

 

In Al-Qamishli city, however, regime forces control larger spaces than in Al-Hasakah city, and their troops are positioned in Halku and Al-Tayy neighbourhoods, the airport, the National Hospital, an area behind the railway network, the security zone and other areas. However, not all of these areas are fully controlled by regime forces, since regime forces and Asayish Forces share control of Halku and Al-Tayy neighbourhoods, the road to the airport and other areas.

 

It is worth noting that Asayish Forces in Al-Qamishli city impose a siege only on regime-affiliated authorities and services, while civilians can travel comfortably in the city and get everything they need, but in limited quantities, so that supplies will no be smuggled to the “besieged” regime.

 

Yesterday, Syrian Observatory activists confirmed that the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) continued the siege they imposed over the security zone and regime-held neighbourhoods in Al-Hasakah city for the 19^th consecutive day, as Asayish Forces keep banning the entry and exit of goods, fuel, food and essentials. Besides, regime soldiers and employees are prevented from traveling between regime-held areas and area under the control of Asayish Forces, while civilians are allowed to travel from and to these areas only on foot and with confined sums of essentials. Such procedures have ignited popular discontent, at a time when Asayish Forces demand regime forces lift the siege imposed by regime forces on Al-Shahbaa area in northern Aleppo in return for lifting the siege imposed on the security zone.

 

In connection to this, the governor of Al-Hasakah, who is “besieged” in the city’s security zone, has stated that SDF’s requests are “unachievable and undeserved”, as he said “despite all hard conditions and the practices by SDF militias, the governorate provides flour to civilians daily, the employees are given their salaries by the Syrian authorities, even the sons of these militias study in territory held by the Syrian state and seek to get their certifications from schools there.”

 

The governor has also hinted to Russia’s unfruitful efforts which aim at the lift of the siege, claiming that SDF’s requests are “unachievable and undeserved”, and stated that Syria would never negotiate with “outlaws”.

 

Two days ago, SOHR sources said that regime forces and security services continued to besiege Kurdish- held areas in the towns and villages of the northern Aleppo countryside, known as Al-Shehaba area. The checkpoints of the 4th Division and Air-Force Intelligence prevented the entry of flour, fuel and medicine to these areas, and imposed large levies on vegetable cars in return for their entry.

 

Meanwhile, regime checkpoints around Sheikh Maqsood neighbourhood were also checking the civilians’ IDs, forcing civilians to wait in long lines to enter Sheikh Maqsood neighbourhood.

 

On the other hand, the Internal Security Forces continued the siege imposed on regime-controlled neighbourhoods in the security zones in the cities of al-Hasakah and al-Qamishli.