The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the US-led coalition have killed six civilians during a failed security operation in the town of Shheell in the southeastern Deir Ezzor countryside, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on May 9.
Attack helicopters of the US-led coalition participated in the operation, that occurred in the early hours the morning. The operation’s main target remains unknown.
The crime provoked a new wave of protests in Shheell, according to Baladi News. The pro-opposition outlet said that the situation escalated further when the SDF’s security forces clashed with the protestors killing at least one of them.
“The civilian, Jaber Sabah al-Habib, was martyred by the fire of SDF personnel, who were breaking up a protest near the al-Atal roundabout in the town of Shheell,” a reporter of the outlet said.
The Kurdish-dominated group and its security forces, commonly known as the Asayish, have not released any official statement on the situation so far.
In the last few weeks, several Arab towns and villages in the southeastern Deir Ezzor countryside, witnessed a wave of protests against the SDF. These protests were met with a harsh response from Asayish each time.
The recent crime in Shheell will likely fuel the high tension between the SDF and the Arab population in northeastern Syria. This could lead to a dangerous ethnic crisis eventually.
