Kurdish Militias in Fear for Arab Gunmen's Growing Presence in Eastern Syria

The US-backed Kurdish militias are feeling deeply concerned after growing deployment by mostly Arab militant groups in Eastern Deir Ezzur province as tensions have intensified between the Kurds and other US-backed groups.

News ID: 70044

Date: 06 May 2018 - 18:53

TEHRAN (Defapress)- Local sources said that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have arrested a number of Arab militants in Western Deir Ezzur accusing them of cooperation with the Syrian Army.

In the meantime, one of the tribal leaders pointed to the recent clashes between the SDF and the US-backed Arab Special Forces and said that the Kurds are fearful of the Arabs' presence in Eastern Syria.

He further said that the Arab tribes in the region do not intend to join the Kurdish militias in Deir Ezzur, adding that possibility that Arab tribes might join Arab militant groups has pushed the Kurds into a status of deep fear.

In a similar development on Saturday SDF and Special Forces affiliated to the Syrian al-Qad movement headed by Ahmad al-Jarba, both backed by the US, engaged in a tough battle in Eastern Deir Ezzur.

The SDF fighters, backed up by the US-led coalition air force, stormed the positions of the Special Forces of Ahmad al-Jarba in Abu Humam region on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River.

Also, local sources said that the SDF's offensive against al-Jarba fighters was unprecedented, adding that the SDF had warned to leak al-Jabra militants' secret information to the coalition to be treated by the US-led forces as ISIL unless they hand over their weapons and surrender.

The sources further said that the SDF and al-Jarba fighters exchanged heavy fire that left a number of injuries on both sides.

The sources said that tensions are also high between the regional tribes and the SDF after the infighting between the SDF and al-Jarba fighters intensified in Eastern Deir Ezzur.

Al-Jarba militant had previously refused to join the SDF in the regions that are under the collation's control.

Message end/