The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Arrest campaign | SDF arrests nearly 60 people, including regime soldiers over Turkish drone attack

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have arrested dozens of military and civilian people in Ain Issa area of “capital of Autonomous Administration” in the northern countryside of Al-Raqqah, SOHR sources reported.

This development comes over the recent aerial bombardment by Turkish drones in the area, during which five SDF fighters were killed.

According to SOHR activists, SDF arrested 35 of its members, 21 civilians and two regime soldiers stationed at the 93rd Brigade in Ain Issa.

SDF arrested these people in order to investigate Turkish drone attack, and to identify the collaborator with Turkish intelligence who send coordinates and SDF military positions to Turkey.

According to Syrian Observatory sources, among those killed in the Turkish drone attack, were two prominent military leaders, one of whom is wanted by the Turkish government.

On September 16, SOHR activists documented the death of five people which are: two members of the cadres and three members of the SDF-backed Military Police, in addition to the injury of another member, due to an attack by a Turkish drone on machinery at a checkpoint near the 93rd Brigade, which holds regime and SDF members in Ain Eissa district in Al-Raqqa countryside.

Reliable sources informed SOHR that SDF-held city of Al-Raqqah city, the former de-facto capital of the “Caliphate State,” witnessed the trial of 15 people accused of “spying for Turkish intelligence.” It is worth noting that a large number of civilians and combatants, who had been killed in the latest Turkish ground and aerial attacks, attended the closed trial which was held on Sunday, September 11, 2022.

According to SOHR sources, the indictees pleaded guilty to providing the Turkish intelligence with coordinates of the whereabouts of military figures and commanders of the “Autonomous Administration” and “Syria Democratic Forces” with the aim of attacking them by Turkish forces. The indictees also told off details about their communications with the Turkish intelligence.

The indictees, who had been arrested, included a man and his wife from Afrin canton and a woman from Idlib. According to SOHR sources, one of the indictees confessed that reached a deal with the Turkish intelligence a few weeks ago, according to which he would take 50,000 USD in return for providing the Turks with coordinates of the whereabouts of a senior commander in Ain Al-Arab (Kobani). The indictee added that he received 200 USD Before the attack, but the Turkish intelligence sent nothing after the attack.

Accordingly, the court imposed the death penalty on 13 indctees who had confessed to spying for Turkish intelligence. Meanwhile, the remaining two indictees have not been sentenced so far, as there is not enough evidence against them, although they had confessed to spying for the Turkish intelligence.

During the trial, the families of victims attempted to attack the inductees.

Sources suggested that the death penalty was executed. However, SOHR was unable to verify if the penalty was executed or not.