SDF Regains Control Over Major Towns in Deir Ezzor’s Eastern Countryside

Turkish-backed fighters are positioned on the Mahsali and Arab Hasan frontline on the outskirts of Manbij in northeastern Syria as they fight with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on September 4, 2023. (Photo by Rami al SAYED / AFP)
Turkish-backed fighters are positioned on the Mahsali and Arab Hasan frontline on the outskirts of Manbij in northeastern Syria as they fight with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on September 4, 2023. (Photo by Rami al SAYED / AFP)
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SDF Regains Control Over Major Towns in Deir Ezzor’s Eastern Countryside

Turkish-backed fighters are positioned on the Mahsali and Arab Hasan frontline on the outskirts of Manbij in northeastern Syria as they fight with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on September 4, 2023. (Photo by Rami al SAYED / AFP)
Turkish-backed fighters are positioned on the Mahsali and Arab Hasan frontline on the outskirts of Manbij in northeastern Syria as they fight with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on September 4, 2023. (Photo by Rami al SAYED / AFP)

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) regained control over al-Busayra and the largest part of the al-Shuhayel district and imposed a security cordon on Dhiban and al-Hawaij towns.

The towns, on the bed of the Euphrates River in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor in the east of Syria, are among the largest cities that have witnessed heavy clashes between Arab tribes' militants and fighters who withdrew from the Deir Ezzor Military Council against the SDF forces.

A US-led international coalition against ISIS terrorists supports the SDF.

A senior SDF military official said they held a "positive" meeting with US officials and the commander of the international coalition forces in the presence of Arab tribal sheikhs and elders.

The meeting addressed the situation in the Deir Ezzor countryside and foreign interventions, provided that military operations continue to comb the area and pursue armed groups.

The SDF pushed more reinforcements to the areas that witnessed armed clashes in eastern Syria.

SDF media official Farhad Shami said that the residents of these areas appealed to the Forces to rid them of the armed groups who have wreaked havoc over the past few days in the region.

Shami told Asharq Al-Awsat that the SDF has begun to shift the battles in their favor, calling on the residents to abide by the curfew, and asserting they will hold those responsible for bloodshed accountable for their crimes.

Shami confirmed that the forces are combing the areas surrounding Dhiban, noting that tensions were limited to five towns and 25 villages out of dozens of cities and more than 100 villages in the region.

The areas that witnessed violent armed clashes are among the wealthiest oil areas in Syria, and 900 US soldiers and dozens of foreign forces are deployed as part of their combat missions in fighting ISIS terrorists.

Several areas of the Deir Ezzor’s countryside witnessed violent armed clashes that broke out after the SDF forces removed the leader of the Military Council, Ahmed al-Khabil, last month.

He was arrested on charges of corruption and drug trafficking, which sparked tension between the region's tribesmen that later turned into armed clashes, killing over 50 civilians and soldiers.

Earlier, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Syria, Ethan Goldrich, and Major General Joel Vowell, who heads the coalition against ISIS, met Arab tribal leaders and SDF commanders and agreed to "address local grievances" and "de-escalate violence as soon as possible and avoid casualties."



Hamas Says Won’t Attend Ceasefire Talks with Israel

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike as internally displaced Palestinians sit next to their tents in Khan Younis camp, southern Gaza Strip, 13 August 2024. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike as internally displaced Palestinians sit next to their tents in Khan Younis camp, southern Gaza Strip, 13 August 2024. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD
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Hamas Says Won’t Attend Ceasefire Talks with Israel

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike as internally displaced Palestinians sit next to their tents in Khan Younis camp, southern Gaza Strip, 13 August 2024. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike as internally displaced Palestinians sit next to their tents in Khan Younis camp, southern Gaza Strip, 13 August 2024. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD

A Hamas representative in Lebanon said that a delegation from the Palestinian movement will not attend Thursday's attempt to restart ceasefire negotiations with Israel.

Ahmad Abdul Hadi, Hamas' representative in Lebanon, said Hamas has not received assurances that Israel would commit to negotiate on the basis of an earlier proposal dated July 2.

"We are not against the concept of negotiations and we were flexible in the previous rounds," he said in a statement to CBS News Tuesday. "But Netanyahu and his government rejected (the July 2nd proposal), put new conditions, they assassinated the head of our movement," referring to the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. Haniyeh had been Hamas' lead negotiator in the talks to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

"Therefore, we won't participate" in the Aug. 15 talks, Abdul Hadi added, "and we will go back to square one."

Hamas said it is willing to meet with mediators after Thursday's talks in Qatar, if Israel gives what they call a "serious response," according to a diplomat briefed on the talks.

"We are serious on reaching an agreement as it is our responsibility towards our people to stop the massacres and the famine war the occupation is committing against our people," Abdul Hadi said.