SDF announces 48-hour curfew in conflict-hit Deir ez-Zor

Karwan Faidhi Dri

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Friday announced a 48-hour curfew in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor where they have been clashing with pro-Damascus militia groups for days following the arrest of an Arab commander. 

The curfew will begin five o’clock Saturday morning in parts of Deir ez-Zor province under SDF control. 

The force accused Damascus-linked armed groups and Islamic State (ISIS) fighters of trying to “cause strife in the region and attempting to lure civilians into their dirty plans.”  

The Arab-majority province of Deir ez-Zor was where ISIS militants made their last stand and were territorially defeated. Control of the province, which borders Iraq, is now split between the SDF and the Syrian regime, with its Iranian backer. It is also home to many of the country’s key oilfields, such as Omar and Conoco, which the US-led global coalition against ISIS helps the SDF protect. There is a history of tense relations between the Kurdish-led SDF and some Arab tribes.

The latest clashes first erupted on Sunday after the SDF arrested Ahmed Khbeil, better known as Abu Khawla, commander of the SDF-linked Deir ez-Zor Military Council, and four of his colleagues. Both sides have suffered casualties.

Before declaring the curfew, the SDF said that pro-Damascus groups attacked several sites in Deir ez-Zor and simultaneously Turkish proxies attacked a village near Manbij in the north of the country.  

Hours after Abu Khawla was arrested, the SDF launched “Operation Security Reinforcement” in Deir ez-Zor, claiming they were responding to calls from area commanders and tribal leaders to stop ISIS attacks. 

“The ongoing search operation remains dedicated to tracking down mercenary groups that deliberately orchestrate attacks within civilian areas and exploit private residences as concealment sites to obstruct the progress of the security campaign and delay the timely resolution,” said the SDF. 

Farhad Shami, head of SDF’s media centre, claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that anti-SDF groups were “looting civic services facilities” in Deir ez-Zor on Friday. 

Critics of the SDF say the operation is an effort to quell resistance from Abu Khawla's supporters. 

The Deir ez-Zor Military Council is responsible for the security in the SDF-held areas and has played a key role in military operations against ISIS in Syria. Abu Khawla has reportedly been replaced by his deputy, Abu Laith Khisham. 

Elham Ahmed, president of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council, the political wing of the SDF, said on Friday that “violent clashes” in Deir ez-Zor are “not isolated occurrences.”  

“There is evidence that suggests this disturbance is being driven by Iranian-backed militias and the Syrian regime who want to create unrest and instability throughout the region,” she said. 

“The claimed agenda behind these clashes is considerably more frightening. Iran and [the] Assad regime wants to depict this unrest as a result of an ethnic conflict between Arabs and Kurds and to distract the Syrians from the protest movements in south of Syria,” added the Kurdish politician, referring to recent anti-regime protests in Suwayda.  

The global coalition against ISIS reaffirmed its support for the SDF in the fight against the terror group and called for an end to the outbreak of violence.  

The US Embassy in Syria, which has been physically closed since the beginning of the crisis in 2011, said in a statement that it is “deeply concerned by recent violence, including loss of life, in Deir Ezzor, Syria. We call on all parties to de-escalate and peacefully resolve the situation.”  

“The United States reaffirms our focus on alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people, including our work to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS through partnership with the Syrian Democratic Forces. We support ongoing efforts to maintain stability in the region and ensure all its people can coexist peacefully,” it added. 

The Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday that it was “closely” monitoring developments in Deir ez-Zor. Ankara considers the SDF the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

“This development is a new manifestation of the terrorist organization's attempts to subjugate the native peoples of Syria through violence, oppression and violation of basic human rights,” claimed the ministry.