Deir Ezzor: Security Incidents and Protests in Many Areas

• 2022-04-06
• Justice for Life

The Geographical Scope

The summary report focuses on events in the north bank region of the Euphrates river, under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces. The report observed and documented information in the towns of Al-Kasra, Hajeen, Al-Shuhail, Al-Bsaira, Theeban, Al-Su’ar, Abu Hamam, Gharanij, and nearby villages.

Additionally, the report gives information about the villages and towns under government control north of the Euphrates River, which are areas in which government forces and militias supporting them are present.

Introduction

In February, Deir Ezzor governorate witnessed many security[1] and military incidents. Almost every day, there were security incidents in Deir Ezzor. Those incidents come in two forms: Armed assaults by armed groups against the SDF checkpoints and security branches. ISIS cells are likely responsible for some of those attacks. The second form is raids carried out by the security and military forces to search homes and villages for wanted people, according to those agencies. Sometimes, the raids are backed by the US-led international coalition.

Last February, as a repercussion of what happened in Ghweran prison in Al-Hasakah, the SDF launched several raids and imposed a partial curfew.

The widespread use of weapons causes injuries and casualties among civilians, especially in local conflicts. During the past month, Deir Ezzor has witnessed several demonstrations calling for the release[2] of detainees[3] and denouncing the autocracy of some military leaders. The demonstrators also demanded improving living conditions, as the bread and flour distribution crisis is ongoing, especially in the towns of Al-Shuhail and Al-Busira, as documented by JFL.

JFL has recorded the release of many detainees from the prisons of the Autonomous Administration. Additionally, JFL documented deaths and injuries in landmines explosion incidents and armed clashes between SDF’s security forces and fuel smugglers; smuggling to the government-controlled region.

The Report Objective

Through its summary reports, JFL aims to draw attention to the military and security situation in Deir Ezzor governorate, where JFL operates. The other goal is to introduce human rights and remind various conflicted parties of the obligation to protect populations regardless of religion, race, region, and skin color. Additionally, JFL wants to maintain professionalism and objectivity in publishing information to readers about Deir Ezzor. Because at the same time, dozens of unreliable news are available besides what conflict parties post on their identifiers. Similarly, JFL confronts hate speech[4] that promotes violence in some media and social media particularly.

Ongoing Military Assaults and Arrest Campaigns

• The SDF imposed a partial curfew in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor and seized many motorbikes that violated the curfew on February 4^th, 2022. The SDF carried out arrests in the village of Jazrat Al-Milaj and nearby villages after an ISIS attack on the village’s prison on February 6th, 2022. Several SDF members were killed in the attack, which coincided with another attack on a checkpoint in Al-Sabha town, eastern countryside, causing casualties among the SDF. ISIS attacks were followed by SDF’s raids and arrests campaign. The SDF forces arrested an IDP in Harmoushiya town, western countryside. A statement by SDF said that two ISIS members were arrested in Theeban town in the eastern countryside[5], an Iraqi and a Turkestan. While ISIS claimed responsibility[6]for an attack in Sabha On February 8^th, 2022, security forces launched arrests in Ruwaishid village, northern countryside of Deir Ezzor, searching for ISIS cells.
• Clashes erupted between a Syrian government militia and the SDF near Al-Jerthi town south of the Euphrates on February 7^th, 2022. At least one civilian was reportedly killed.
• According to JFL, security forces backed by the international coalition arrested many people in Al-Bsaira town, On February 9^th, 2022. Theywere charged with affiliation with ISIS after an airborne operation in the town.
• JFL researchers documented two ISIS attacks in Deir Ezzor countryside. The first attack targeted a military station in Jazrat Al-Bushams[7]in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor on February 9^th, 2022. The other attack hit an SDF military station near Al-Shuhail town on February 10^th, 2022. The two attacks resulted in the killing of at least three SDF members and two members of ISIS, which claimed responsibility for the attacks.
• On February 11^th , 2022, an SDF checkpoint was targeted by a group of unidentified gunmen near Al-Jerthitown, causing many injuries among the SDF members, some of them were serious.
• On February 12^th, a woman fired at a military checkpoint in the village of Zghair in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor, wounding two officers. And on the same day, a group of gunmen, suspected of being ISIS, targeted two SDF military patrols in Al-Shuhailtown and Hammar Al-Ali Besides, a military checkpoint in Al-Kasra town was hit without casualties.
• On February 13^th, 2022, a group of motor bikers targeted an SDF military vehicle in Al-Bsaira town. ISIS proclaimed an attack in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.
• JFLresearcher in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor documented on February 14^th the arrest of an IDP during a raid carried out by the joint force of the international coalition and anti-terrorist forces in the town of Al-Shuhail.
• On February 15^th, JFLdocumented the targeting of the water station in the village of Al-Zer by gunmen. The station is an SDF military checkpoint. The SDF arrested several people after the attack.
• The SDF Media Center Director, Farhad Shami, announced in a statement[8]on Twitter on February 16^th, 2022, that several ISIS leaders were arrested and killed after two successful security operations.
• A joint force of the international coalition and the SDF arrested many people on charges of affiliation with ISIS in Muhaimida village, western countryside, on February 17^th, 2022. It was reported that an IDP and his wife were among the detainees.
• ISIS claimed[9]murdering a person in Theeban town in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor on February 17^th, 2022. There was a large-scale security operation in the town and neighboring areas after the incident. On February 19^th, 2022, the counter-terrorism forces arrested many people in the town of Al-Shuhail after targeting SDF checkpoints in the town.
• A group of unidentified gunmen targeted an SDF checkpoint in Al-Harmoushieh town, in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor, on February 20^th, 2022. JFL did not document any injuries, and the attackers are still unknown. The security services launched an arrest campaign in nearby towns and villages one day after the attack.
• A JFLresearcher reported the death of an IDP from Deir Ezzor in Al-Hasakah days after his release from an SDF prison. The victim’s relatives said that they learned the victim was transformed to a hospital from prison due to health problems, and he died a few days later.
• A community figure was killed in the town of Dahleh in Deir Ezzor countryside on February 22^nd, 2022, during a raid carried out by the Anti-Terrorism Force. The town saw security tensions and anger after the killing, per JFL researcher.
• On February 24^th, 2022, many SDF members were killed in a deadly attack that targeted their gathering near Hajeen town, east countryside. A group of unidentified gunmen opened fire on a military gathering in Theeban town on the same date. Light-arms clashes were reported in the area after the attack.
• ISIS claimed[10]responsibility for targeting an employee of the Autonomous Administration in the town of Theeban. According to a JFL researcher, a group of gunmen shot and killed the victim on February 26^th, 2022.

Protests, Armed Clashes, and a Bread Crisis

• In February 2022, the SDF released ten people from Deir Ezzor who had been arrested during different raid campaigns in Deir Ezzor and Al-Hasakah.
• In the course of internal change, Deir Ezzor Civil Council has appointed a new director for the Social Affairs and Labor Committee.
• On February 9^th, 2022, a JFLresearcher documented the ongoing bread crisis. The poor management of bread distribution led to bread supply shortages. Bread does not reach every family, besides low quality. Additionally, there is variation in distribution among regions, some of which get bread every 48 hours while others every 72 hours.
• Villages near the Euphrates River have seen ongoing clashes between the SDF and some groups trying to smuggle fuel to the government-controlled areas. On February 6^th, 2022, a JFL researcher spotted clashes near Zughayer village in the SDF-controlled part. On February 11^th, 2022, a special security force arrested several people in the town of Al-Jerthi on charges of smuggling fuel to government-controlled areas. Recently, the SDF security forces have been searching for fuel smugglers in the region.
• Demonstrations were reported in Al-Bsaira townand other towns protesting living conditions and violent arrest campaigns. On February 12^th, 2022, a demonstration took place in Al-Bsaira townto protest the arrest of people in the town. The demonstrations demanded the release of detainees. On February 23^rd and 24^th, 2022, protests against the administrative appointments were reported in seven villages in the western and northern countryside. The protestors demanded a democratic appointment process and to improve the Civil Council’s work and its committees.
• The JFLdocumented casualties in landmines[11]explosion incident. The mines are remnants of the battles that took place in Deir Ezzor during the previous ten years. On February 13^th, 2022, a child died in Al-Bukamal countryside, SDF-controlled, after injury from a landmine explosion. On February 23^rd, 2022, JFL reported the death of two people at least in Kh’sham town in landmine explosions. It is noted that Kh’sham is one of seven other towns and villages controlled by government forces north of the Euphrates River.
• Injuries were reported after a local dispute in Abu Hamam town in the eastern countryside. Armed clashes erupted on the town’s main street on February 15^th, 2022, which led to at least one injury. On February 16^th, an armed clash erupted in Al-Su’ar townin the northern countryside after a local dispute. The use of weapons resulted in injuring at least one person. On February 20^th, 2022, a JFL researcher reported clashes between many people in the village of Gharanij in the eastern countryside. The conflict escalated into a tribal conflict, resulting in at least two injuries.

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