The killing of a young man in Deir Ezzor ignites a fresh wave of anger toward the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), fueling calls for tribal mobilization to defend the people in the northeast. On September 11, the Bedouin Al-Shaitat clan accused SDF fighters of executing 20-year-old Hakim Rafi Khalifa al-Abdulhassan at a checkpoint in the town of Granij after he refused to stop. According to local sources, the patrol seized his body and refused to return it to his family, prompting calls from tribal leaders for “general moblization” against the SDF.
Videos circulated on social media showing calls for armed resistance echoing from mosque loudspeakers in Granij. The Shaitat, numbering between 70,000 and 90,000, played a prominent role in prior uprisings against SDF. Activist Jamil Rashid al-Ahmad said townspeople launched attacks on SDF checkpoints in response, with tensions still running high.
Shelling in Aleppo Countryside Leaves Civilians Dead
The Syrian Ministry of Defense reported civilian casualties from SDF bombardments in Aleppo’s eastern countryside. The ministry said SDF units launched rockets and mortars from positions near Jarrah Military Airport and Maskanah, striking homes in villages including Kayariya, Rasm al-Ahmar and Habouba Kabir. Two people were killed and three injured.
Civil defense crews reported that children were among the wounded. The army said its units returned fire to “the sources of attack,” while sporadic clashes between SDF and government forces in Aleppo and Raqqa have been ongoing.
Arrests, Forced Recruitment and Torture
Beyond the fighting, accusations of arbitrary arrests and forced conscription have intensified. Local outlets such as Nahar Media reported that SDF units detained about 80 young men in Qamishli’s Tay and Hilaliya neighborhoods on September 10, transferring them to recruitment camps. Similar sweeps in Hasakah earlier in the month targeted activists accused of sympathizing with the Syrian government.
Rights monitors have also documented deaths in custody. Local sources reported that Ahmad al-Sajer of Raqqa died under torture in SDF detention days after his arrest for possessing “pro-government videos.” In August, another detainee, Muhammad Jassim al-Hamidi, was killed hours after being arrested in Hasakah province.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights documented in its August report 36 arbitrary detentions by the SDF in July, including five children, alongside five civilian deaths. The group noted that Raqqa recorded the highest number of detentions that month, followed by Deir Ezzor and Hasakah.
Responses to Continued Violations
Damascus condemned the SDF’s actions as “irresponsible escalation,” pledging to protect civilians from shelling in contested areas. Tribes across eastern Syria have also declared “general calls” for resistance. In August, the Al-Bakkara tribe in Raqqa announced it would continue fighting until “the full end of SDF presence in the Jazeera.”
While the SDF defends its security campaigns as “necessary to combat ISIS cells,” critics argue the measures disproportionately target dissenters, fueling resentment among Arab tribes and further destabilizing Syria’s northeast.
