Deir Ezzor | Gunmen open fire on Russian convoy, with popular protests in northern countryside

Deir Ezzor province: SOHR sources have reported that gunmen opened fire on a Russian convoy of four armoured vehicles, escorted by helicopters, while it was traveling on the road to Abu Khashab to al-salihiya crossing connecting SDF-held areas and regime controlled areas in northern Deir Ezzor. According to SOHR sources, the gunfire left no casualties.

 

Meanwhile, tens of the residents set fire to rubber tires near al-Ma’amel roundabout near al-Salihiyyah crossing, expressing their rejection of the passing of Russian patrols in their areas.

 

It is worth noting that residents in different areas in Deir Ezzor countryside had threatened to attack Russian convoys passing in areas under the control of “Deir Ezzor Military Council”, as a Russian convoy was prevented from passing in these areas on October 21. SDF therefore escorted the Russian convoy, on the following day, from Deir Ezzor to al-Raqqah via Abu al-Khashab road, away from the angry residents and the areas controlled by “Deir Ezzor Military Council Forces”.

 

On October 21, SOHR sources reported that tens of young men gathered in the SDF-controlled village of al-Jininah in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor where they set rubber tires on fire on the road to the village, after Russian forces and Syria Democratic Forces removed soil barriers with the aim to allow Russian patrols to cross into the region.

 

Meanwhile, “Deir Ezzor Military Council” brought in military reinforcement to the region and prevented the Russians from entering areas under the council’s control. It is worth noted that SDF mediated to persuade “Deir Ezzor Military Council”  to allow the Russian patrols to cross through the regime, but the residents and the council forces expressed their rejection.

 

Moreover, tens of residents who also rejected the crossing of Russian patrols through their areas gathered in al-Hesan village. The Russian forces were stationed in the regime-controlled village of al-Hesayniyya separating regime-controlled areas from SDF-held areas in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor.