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Thursday, February 11, 2016

Raqqa: SDF arrests 150 tribesmen refused to join the U.S.-backed alliance

2016-02-08

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Syrian Democratic Forces arrested about 150 tribesmen in northeastern Raqqa province as they refused to join the U.S.-backed alliance to fight ISIS, activists said Sunday.

Media activist said SDF fighters have waged a series of raids on the Arab villages of al-Soukariyeh, al-Tyba, Eastern Tel Abyad, al-Antar and al-Ali Bajabla. Most of the abducted tribesmen were members of Jaysh al-Ashaer, or the Tribes Army,  he added.

The SDF was formed in mid-October as an alliance between the powerful Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and rebel groups including Arab and Assyrian militias to fight Islamic State. But few weeks later SDF had engaged in fighting with moderate rebels groups amid reports of unspoken coordination with Syrian regime forces and Russia.

Amnesty International accused last October the Kurdish armed units in northern Syria of razing Arab and Turkmen villages, actions it says amounted to war crimes.

The alleged abuses took place in areas administered by the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is affiliated with the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Researchers visited 14 towns and villages controlled by Kurdish forces in Hasakah and Raqqa provinces, where fighters had retaken territory previously held by the Islamic State.

Since it began in 2011, Syria's war has fractured into a complex array of fronts between Kurds, rebels, regime and jihadists, and has killed more than 260,000 people.

Source: Zaman alwsl.
Link: https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/13967.html.

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