Protesters in northern Syria have increasingly voiced their rejection of the leadership of the Syrian Interim Government (SIG), leading to rising tensions in the region. On Friday, September 6, clashes erupted at the Abu al-Zandin crossing, located in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, between demonstrators and the military police affiliated with the Syrian National Army (SNA) which operates under the SIG.
The conflict intensified when a protester fired at a military police vehicle near the crossing, prompting a response of heavy gunfire from the police. According to local sources, protesters were raising banners at the nearby Al-Karama sit-in tent, calling for the resignation of Abdurahman Mustafa, the head of the SIG.
The Abu al-Zandin crossing, reopened for commercial traffic between opposition-controlled and regime-controlled areas in mid-August, has been a focal point of controversy. The crossing was previously targeted by artillery fire just a day after its opening, highlighting the heightened tensions around its operation.
Residents of the nearby city of Al-Bab have been particularly vocal in their opposition to the crossing’s reopening. Many fear it signifies deeper cooperation with the Assad regime, a notion fiercely rejected by the factions associated with its reopening. Following the opening, a protest tent was established in Al-Bab, with demonstrators calling for Mustafa’s ousting and the formation of a new government.
On the same day, popular demonstrations broke out in the cities of Afrin and Al-Bab, with protesters demanding a vote of no confidence in Mustafa’s leadership. Protesters held banners that read, “We want new faces that seek change and influence domestically and abroad,” signaling widespread dissatisfaction with the current administration.
The discontent among factions in SIG-administered areas has spilled into political alliances. The Levant Front (Al-Sham Front), a key military faction in the Turkish-backed SNA, has frozen its cooperation with the SIG. In a statement released on Wednesday, September 4, the faction accused Mustafa of hostility toward “revolutionary groups,” including factions like Ahrar al-Sharqiya and Al-Sham Front. They also called for Mustafa’s referral to the judiciary and demanded the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) hold an emergency meeting to withdraw confidence from his government.
The roots of these tensions can be traced back to a meeting on September 3 in Gaziantep, Turkey, involving Turkish officials and leaders from the Syrian political and military factions. The meeting, intended to address urgent regional challenges, has seemingly exacerbated divisions between Mustafa and other representatives of the revolution.
In response, Al-Sham Front’s leadership has been vocal about their dissatisfaction, describing Mustafa’s policies as detrimental to the region and claiming he has incited Turkish officials against local opposition factions. They also accused him of misrepresenting the ongoing popular movement, known as the “Dignity Movement,” as a coup plot against his government.
Yahya Maktabi, a member of the General Assembly of the Syrian Coalition, has indicated efforts “were underway to resolve the dispute,” but declined to provide further details. The situation remains volatile, with tensions between opposition factions, residents, and the SIG threatening to destabilize the already fragile region.
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