SDF-held areas in February 2023 | 35 fatalities in acts of violence…seven attacks by ISIS cells…over ten infightings and murder crimes…deteriorating security

Areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), (SDF-held areas) experienced in February 2023 scores of incidents of security disorder and violations against human rights. In this context, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has monitored and tracked all key developments in SDF-held areas in the past month.

 

 

Deaths in acts of violence 

 

SOHR documented the death of 35 people in February 2023 in light of the ongoing acts of violence in SDF-held areas. Here are further details of those deaths:

 

-19 civilians, including two woman and four children; they are as follows:

 

• Four people, including a little girl, were murdered.

 

• Two civilians were killed in attacks by Turkish drones.

 

• A man was killed by ISIS.

 

• Six civilians, including three children, were killed in indiscriminate gunfire.

 

• Six civilians, including two women, were killed by SDF.

 

-Five gunmen:

 

• Four killed in tribal and family infightings.

 

• One killed in clashes with SDF.

 

-Four combatants:

 

• Three killed by ISIS.

 

• One killed in airstrikes by Turkish drones.

 

-Seven ISIS members and commanders were killed during security operations by SDF and International Coalition.

 

 

Ongoing Turkish escalation

 

Turkish military operations, mainly ground bombardment and drone attacks, were documented in areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration on several occasions in February. Here are further details:

 

Ground bombardment

 

SOHR activists documented no deaths in Turkish ground bombardment in the past month. Circumstances of February’s ground attacks can be summarised as follows:

 

• February 7: Four members of the Manbij Military Council were injured including one severely injured causing the amputation of his hand, where the Turkish forces present in Turkish bases in Tokhar village in Manbij eastern to Aleppo fired a thermal missile on a military checkpoint of the Manbij Military Council.

 

• February 9: Turkish forces and their proxies shelled Awn Al-Dadat village near the crossing in Manbij countryside eastern of Aleppo, where dozens of trucks carrying rescue materials and fuels were waiting for approval to enter the areas affected by the earthquake in north-west Syria.

 

• February 26: Turkish forces and their proxy factions shelled positions in Um Al-Kaif and Al-Kuzaliyah villages in Tel Tamr countryside in the north-west of Al-Hasakah.

 

• February 27: A female shepherd was injured in her foot with a gunshot fired by Turkish forces and their proxy on the outskirts of Al-Dardarah village in Tel Tamer countryside north-west of Al-Hasakah.

 

• February 28: Turkish forces and their proxies have fired artillery shells on Saida village, the M4 road and a camp present northern of Saida village in northern Al-Raqqa countryside.

 

 

Drone attacks

 

On the other hand, Turkish drones targeted positions in SDF-controlled areas on two occasions in February, killing two civilians and one combatant and injuring another one. These attacks are distributed as follows:

 

• Al-Hasakah: One attacks left a civilians dead.

 

• Al-Raqqah: One attack left an SDF fighter and a financial employee of the Autonomous Administration dead.

 

Here are further details of Turkish drone attacks on SDF-held areas in February:

 

• February 12: An SDF fighter and a financial employee of the Autonomous Administration were killed in a Turkish drone attack on a military vehicle in the western countryside of Ain Al-Arab (Kobani).

 

• February 22: A Turkish drone targeted a civil car on the road between Al-Qamishly and Al-Qahtaniyah cities in north-eastern Al-Hasakah, killing a civilian and injuring a commander of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish).

 

 

Meanwhile, an IED exploded in a vehicle near Al-Kalasa neighbourhood in Al-Hasakah city on February 27. According to reliable SOHR sources, the vehicle belonged to an SDF prominent commander and general official of intelligence service in Al-Hasakah city and countryside. The commander survived the explosion as he left the vehicle just before the explosion to buy something, while a woman working in a military kitchen was injured, where she was waiting for the commander. Also, the driver of the vehicle was injured and was taken to a hospital in Al-Hasakah city. However, the body responsible for the explosion remains unknown.

 

 

Escalating activity by ISIS cells met by large-scale security campaigns

 

ISIS continued its operations in areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration, where it carried out several armed attacks and assassinations through gunfire, attacks with sharp tools and planting IEDs and landmines.

 

The Syrian Observatory documented over seven operations, including armed attacks and explosions, carried out by ISIS cells in SDF-held areas in February 2023. According to SOHR statistics, these attacks left four people: a civilian and three members Asayish Forces dead. These attacks, all of which were carried out in Deir Ezzor province, are distributed as follows:

 

• February 11: A member of the Internal Security Forces was killed by unknown gunmen, believed to be of ISIS cells in Deir Ezzor.

 

• February 17: A civilian was injured after being shot by gunmen of ISIS cells in Abo Hamam town in eastern Deir Ezzor countryside, where he was taken to the hospital.

 

• February 21: A member of Asayish Forces was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on a motorbike, believed to belong to ISIS, in Al-Harijiya village in north Deir Ezzor countryside.

 

• February 23: A civilian from Tayeb Al-Fal working in oil investment was shot dead by gunmen on motorbikes, who belong to ISIS cells near Al-Hreiji village in Deir Ezzor.

 

• February 25: Gunmen on motorbikes, believed to be ISIS members, threw a grenade on the house of an oil investor in Hawayj Zaiban town in Al-Raghib neighbourhood in east Deir Ezzor countryside. According to reliable SOHR sources, the attack took place after ISIS members demanded “Zakat” from the owner of the house.

 

• February 26: Members of ISIS cells on a motorcycle opened fire on a checkpoint of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) in Abu Hardoub town in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, killing an Asayish member and injuring others.

 

• February 26: ISIS members on motorcycles opened fire on a column of oil trucks near the entrance of Al-Busayrah city in eastern Deir Ezzor, forcing the trucks to stop. SDF-backed security forces were put on high alert after the attack on the convoy which was on its way to Al-Hasakah.

 

In the past month, SOHR activists also documented the participation of the International Coalition in 11 joint security operations with SDF, namely raids and airdrops, arresting 140 members of ISIS cells.

 

 

Escalating public discontent

 

SOHR activists have reported popular discontent in Al-Malikiyah city (Dayrek) in areas controlled by the Autonomous Administration in Al-Hasakah countryside following a decision issued by municipality, which stipulates the closure of many shops in the city under the pretext of “obtaining licences at the municipality and that these shops are overlooking the main road and Kornish. According to SOHR sources, the fees of registration and obtaining licences for every shop approximate 3,000 USD. On the other hand, purchases and construction of residential real estate have suspended for over a year, because of the municipality’s decision for obtaining permissions which cost nearly 4,000 USD each. Such unfair decisions have led to the currently poor commercial movement in the city and forced many to immigrate.

 

On the other hand, displaced people in north-east Syria are struggling with the high rental fees of houses, especially with the ongoing freefall of the Syrian lira against the US dollar and low salaries. The highest rental fees of houses in the Al-Hasakah countryside have been documented in Al-Qamishli city, where the rental fees in the city start from 75 USD a month. Meanwhile, the skyrocketing prices of food supplies, electrically-generated amperes subscription, medicines and other essentials have exacerbated the situation further and make displaced people shoulder extra burdens.

 

Moreover, owners of electricity generators in eastern Deir Ezzor countryside have stopped operating the generators for over a week, due to not gaining their allocations of diesel in January. Several electrical generators that stopped operating are located in different areas of eastern Deir Ezzor countryside, and provides nearly 5,000 houses in villages and towns of eastern Deir Ezzor countryside. Most of the residents depend on the electricity generators, and one ampere costs 8,000 Syrian Liras, while some owners charge 10,000 Syrian Liras for each ampere per month, without committing to contracts or supervision by concerned authorities.

 

Villages and towns of eastern Deir Ezzor countryside suffer from the non-operating electricity of the “regular lines” for over eight years, while they are limited to operating some water stations and agricultural associations. On the other hand, residents of Hajin city complain about the repeated stopping of generators due to lack of diesel, amid the silence of the concerned authorities and the absence of a monitoring, with some generator owners raising the price of one ampere from 8,000 to 10,000 in Hajin city and its vicinity, and the price of the ampere may reach more than that, amid appeals to the concerned authorities to provide support to the owners of generators while imposing a mechanism to monitor and follow up their work.

 

 

Escalating security chaos: Scores of infightings and murder crimes

 

SOHR activists have reported noticeable escalation of tribal and family infightings in SDF-controlled areas in February 2023 in light of the growing security chaos, proliferation of arms and military and security powers’ inability to control the security situation. In the past month, SOHR documented six tribal infightings which left sex people dead and seven others injured; they are distributed regionally as follows:

 

• Deir Ezzor: Four infightings left three people dead and three others injured.

 

• Al-Hasakah: One infightings left two persons dead and another injured.

 

• Al-Raqqah: One infightings left one person dead and three others injured.

 

Here are further details on the circumstances of tribal and family infightings in SDF-controlled areas in February 2023:

 

• February 4: Tribal clashes renewed between cousins of “Al-Barij” tribe in Jadida Khabor village in eastern Al-Raqqa countryside, due to old disputes that escalated to armed clashes, leading to the death of one person and the injury of others, amid tension in the village.

 

• February 14: SOHR sources reported that a young man was shot dead by a stray bullet during a family infighting between two families of Al-Okaidat tribe in Zaiban town in eastern Deir Ezzor countryside within SDF-held areas.

 

• February 14: Armed clashes erupted due to an old vendetta between two families of Al-Bakara tribe in Al-Kasra city in western Deir Ezzor countryside, before being interrupted by an SDF patrol, where the patrol dispersed the clashes before any casualties.

 

• February 17: SOHR sources reported that a family infighting was erupted among cousins from Ekaydat tribe in Jadid Ekaydat town in eastern Deir Ezzor. The clashed tribesmen used light and medium weapons, which led to the killing of a young man. Meanwhile, tension is growing in the town, amid a state of panic and appeals to tribal dignitaries and elders to defuse the tension and put an end to the clashes.

 

• February 22: A young man was killed and another was injured, following the renewal of an old vendetta between Al-Jahish and Al-Bo Mahana tribes near Al-Naasan Junction in Tel Hamis countryside eastern of Al-Hasakah. According to reliable SOHR sources, another person of Al-Khattab tribe was shot dead by a stray bullet, when he was near the site of the clashes.

 

• February 26: SOHR sources reported that a young man was shot dead by one of his relatives during a family infighting due to an earlier dispute between their families in SDF-controlled Al-Izbah town in the northern countryside of Deir Ezzor.

 

 

Moreover, SOHR documented four murder crimes in areas controlled by the Autonomous Administration in the past month over domestic violence, thefts and other unknown motives. These murders left four civilian fatalities, including a little girl; they are distributed regionally as follows:

 

• Al-Hasakah: A man.

 

• Deir Ezzor: Two civilians, including a little girl.

 

• Aleppo (Manbij): A young man.

 

Here are further details:

 

• February 2: Residents found the body of a young man of “Al-Bo Suleiman” tribe killed in a farm near Manbij Central Prison in eastern Aleppo countryside, three days after being kidnapped by an armed gang to collect ransoms.

 

• February 4: An unidentified young man was found dead and dumped near the border strip between Syria and Iraq. The hands of the man, who is suggested to be Iraqi, were tied, while the body was handed over to the Iraqi authorities.

 

• February 13: A former member of Al-Asayesh from Al-Qamishly city was shot dead by unidentified gunmen, where his body was found on a road near Al-Qamishly city in Al-Hasakah countryside. However, the identity of the perpetrators and their motivations remain unknown.

 

• February 19: A little girl was killed and her father was injured in exchange of fire between the father and a thief during an armed robbery in the victims’ house in Abu Hamam town in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.

 

 

Foreigners evacuated from Al-Hawl and Al-Rouj camps

 

On February 12, a delegation of the Slovakian government headed by “Igor Pokojný”, who is the director of consular Department of Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, received a woman and two children of ISIS families with Slovakian nationalities in Rouj camp northern of Al-Hasakah according to an official document from the Department of External Relations of the “Autonomous Administration” of North and East Syria.

 

Similarly, on February 16, nearly 59 children and women, of Kyrgyzstan nationalities, of ISIS families left Al-Hawl and Rouj camps in northern Al-Hasakah countryside, where they were received in coordination between the Department of External Affairs in northern and eastern of Syria and the representative of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs with an accompanying delegation, after signing official documents.

 

While on February 27, busses carrying 154 Iraqi families arrived, this evening, in Al-Jad’aa camp in the Iraqi city of Mosul, after having been evacuated from Al-Hawl camp in Al-Hasakah countryside. Those families crossed from Syria to Iraq through Al-Walid border crossing, after coordination between the Autonomous Administration and the Iraqi government. It is worth noting that this is the second batch of Iraqi families to leave Al-Hawl camp in 2023.

 

 

Ongoing recruitment of children by “Al-Shabiba Al-Thawriyah”

 

“Al-Shabiba Al-Thawriyah” (the Revolutionary Youth) continues attracting and luring minors to serve in its military ranks, blatantly violating human rights and international resolutions that the Autonomous Administrations and Syria Democratic Forces have signed, while neither the residents’ demands to stop exploiting and recruiting children to military ranks nor the international charters managed to put an end to the recruitment of children by “Al-Shabiba Al-Thawriyah.”

 

In mid-February, “Al-Shabiba Al-Thawriyah” kidnapped a 13-year-old girl in Manbij area in north-eastern Aleppo.

 

 

We, at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), call upon the authorities in SDF-held areas to fulfil people’s demands that call for the improvement of social and living conditions and not punish them for demanding their rights. We also call on the International Coalition and SDF to intensify their security campaigns against active and sleeping ISIS cells in various areas in east Euphrates to prevent the revival of ISIS which poses a threat to local, regional and international security.

 

SOHR calls upon the Autonomous Administration in north and east Syria, Syria Democratic Forces, and all relevant authorities to put an end to the ongoing violations by “Al-Shabiba Al-Thawriyah” (the Revolutionary Youth) in the east Euphrates region.