A wave of violence erupted in the city of Jarabulus, located in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, leaving three dead and dozens injured as clashes between two rival clans, Al-Jaisat and Al-Dakarat, escalated on Monday.
The unrest claimed the life of a woman and resulted in injuries to four others as clashes intensified between the warring factions. Residents were cautioned by surrounding checkpoints against venturing into the city due to the heightened frequency of skirmishes.
Reports indicate snipers occupied hospitals and terrorized residents and explosives like rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) were fired by combatants between civilian homes, prompting panic and fear among locals. Appeals were made to the Syrian National Army (SNA) by residents for the deployment of conflict resolution forces amidst indiscriminate targeting of the populace, leaving many besieged far from their homes.
Among the victims, a young man, identified as Mustafa Sarhan, displaced from Idlib, was killed on the road to the Sharia Mosque, situated in the heart of the conflict zone. The escalation in violence prompted responses, with alerts to deploy issued for SNA and Military Police units in nearby cities like Ghandoura, Al-Rai, and Al-Bab. These forces were directed to intervene in Jarabulus to quell the tribal clashes threatening the stability of the region.
Turkish involvement was noted, with reports of a convoy entering Gaziantep University in Jarabulus to evacuate Turkish professors amidst the escalating violence. Among the casualties was an internally displaced person (IDP) from Al-Quria, east of Deir Ezzor, highlighting the widespread impact of the clashes on innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.
Efforts to restore order saw the intervention of various factions, including the Liberation and Construction Movement forces and the Musab bin Omair Brigade affiliated with Ahrar al-Sham. Their deployment within the city, alongside SNA and civilian authorities, marked a concerted effort to pacify the situation.
As of publication, clan clashes have subsided following the entry of conflict resolution forces, with both sides urged to cease hostilities. Both the Liberation and Construction Movement and Ahrar al-Sham have set up checkpoints and called upon civilians to remain indoors until calm is fully restored and the perpetrators of violence from all sides have been apprehended.
The recent unrest underscores the fragile peace in liberated northern Syria, as rivalries and tensions continue to simmer, threatening the hard-won stability of the region.
