Under Russian sponsorship | SDF meet with regime forces in Al-Raqqah with the aim of defusing tension in Al-Hasakah and Al-Qamishli

Al-Hasakah Province – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Reliable sources have informed SOHR that a meeting, under Russia’s sponsorship, was held in Al-Raqqah city attended by a delegation of the Autonomous Administration and another delegation of the Syrian regime with the aim of defusing tension in Al-Hasakah and Al-Qamishli cities. However, no common vision has been reached so far.

 

During the meeting, the two sides have discussed the following files:

 

• The fate of detainees in regime prisons, which is the main reason behind the recent tension between NDF militiamen and Asayish Forces in Al-Hasakah and Al-Qamishli cities.

 

• The issue of the siege imposed on Al-Shahbaa area and Aleppo

 

• The banning of entry of flour to the Autonomous Administration’s bread bakeries.

 

Yesterday, reliable sources informed SOHR that the regime-backed “National Defence Forces” (NDF) amassed troops in Tayy neighbourhood, which is under their control in Al-Qamishli city, for unknown reasons. According to SOHR sources, several NDF members opened fire on a checkpoint at which members of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) stationed at the entrance of Tayy neighbourhood. However, Asayish Forces did not reply, while no casualties were reported.

 

On February 2, the Internal Security Forces “Asayish” issued a statement in which it announced the lifting of the siege on the Syrian regime-held areas in the cities of al-Qamishli and Al-Hasakah, allowing the entry of all materials to these areas. The statement, a copy of which was obtained by the Syrian Observatory, read: “The cities of al-Qamishli and al-Hasakah have witnessed security tension created by the Syrian regime forces in an attempt to destabilise our areas, which resulted from the brotherhood between all the components.

 

We, in the Internal Security Forces, are committed to the unity of Syrians and are working to end the tension created by the regime forces, and as a gesture of goodwill and to preserve the unity of Syrian soil and territory and the Syrian people, we affirm the return of normal life and allow the entry of all materials into the Syrian regime-held areas in the cities of Qamishlo and al-Hasaka.”

 

Meanwhile, the reopening of roads, which were closed 23 days ago after the siege imposed by “Asayish” on regime-held areas, continues.

 

Hours ago, SOHR sources said that that the Internal Security Sorces “Asayish” reopened the roads leading to “Al-Tay” neighbourhoods, which is under the control of the Syrian regime in the city of al-Qamishli, after the closure of roads and the siege on regime for 23 days.

 

Civilians were allowed to move through cars and traffic was reopened in the area, coinciding with the opening of roads that had been closed by al-Asaish in the city of al-Hasakeh in the “security square” area.

 

This comes in light of a looming Russian-sponsored agreement in the region leading to the end of the siege imposed by Asayish on the Syrian regime in al-Hasaka and al-Qamishli.

 

No information was reported on the nature of the agreement, which would be in return for the lift of the Syrian regime’s siege of the areas of Al-Shehba in northern Aleppo countryside, Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafieh in Aleppo city, which is under the control of Kurdish forces.