The clashes in Qamishli Northeast Syria: Another attempt by Russia and Assad's regime

The tensions between the Kurdish security forces known as Asayish and the pro-Syrian government militias known as mercenaries of the National Defence forces have been increased in last few days. In Qamishli known as the Kurdish "political capital" northeast Syria, the clashes broke out in the neighborhood of Al-Tayy south Qamishli following a pro-Assad's regime forces attacks on the checkpoint of the Kurdish security forces. As a result, an Asayish officer has been killed on the first day of the pro-government attacks. Then, the clashes continue till now despite the temporary cease-fire that has been reached by the Russian mediation. Qamishli

According to the Kurdish sources, the violent clashes continued today as well, and the Kurdish forces have been advancing to control the neighborhood of Tayy aiming to clean it completely from pro-government mercenaries. Russia, on the one hand, has been involved in the recent incident trying to play a mediating role between the two sides, whereas the Syrian regime has no comment regarding the clashes. From the Kurdish point of view, however, Russia and Assad's regime have repeatedly trying to create chaos in the region with the purpose to reclaim control of the Kurdish-led administration areas.

Simultaneously with that, the Russian forces have been briefly withdrawn from two military bases in Tal Rifaat northern countryside of Aleppo as a Russian plan to leave the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in frontlines with the Turkish army and its mercenaries of the Syrian National Army. Therefore, Moscow's aims in such as plan are again to use Turkish threats as a pressure card against the US and its ally of the SDF to the advantage of the Syrian regime.

Consequently, Russia has been failed to play and neutral mediation role in the recent extreme tensions between the Kurdish forces and the pro-Assad militias as Russia itself always been on the Syrian regime's side. The autonomous administration in northeast Syria led by the Kurdish authorities with the participation of other Syrian components such as Arab and Syriac as well has always been a subject to such military attacks by pro-government militia groups under the Russian observation. Furthermore, the nowadays clashes in Qamishli, arguably, the likelihood considered as a Russian plan against the Kurdish administration and to re-take control under the city with the Assad's regime at the expense of the US military presence.

In the last few hours, the Kurdish security forces have continued the advance towards controlling the neighbourhood of Tayy and defeating the so-called National Defence forces. The neighbourhood of Tayy is known as a "Baghouz or Al-Hul camp" due to the nature of the NDF militia that has no different from other ideological and extremist groups such as ISIS, Al-Nusrra front, and Baathist forces. As a result of such a Russian negative role in the region that considered the first as a message to the American presence in northeast Syria. So, the Kurds now are expecting more practical political and military actions from the US to protect their allies as it is a common interest for both parties and as an appropriate strategy for the American presence in the Syrian conflict in general especially there is a talk about the participation of Hezbollah militia in last attacks on Kurds in Qamishli according to some local sources. Qamishli

by: Zara Saleh levant

levant

Zara Saleh