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Iranian Militias Barred from Entering 'Seven Villages' Area in Syria's Deir Ezzor

Russian officers with the people of Deir Ezzor for the distribution of aid (X)
Russian officers with the people of Deir Ezzor for the distribution of aid (X)
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Iranian Militias Barred from Entering 'Seven Villages' Area in Syria's Deir Ezzor

Russian officers with the people of Deir Ezzor for the distribution of aid (X)
Russian officers with the people of Deir Ezzor for the distribution of aid (X)

Russian forces in Syria are working to prevent the situation from escalating, which could draw Syria into the ongoing conflict in Palestine and Lebanon. According to Russian National Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, who recently toured the region, “the situation in the Middle East remains highly complex and tense, and it is essential to continue reintegrating Syria into the regional environment.”
As part of these efforts, Russian forces have set up a military checkpoint on the bridge connecting the so-called “seven villages” with areas west of the Euphrates, allowing the access of Syrian government and Russian forces, while barring Iranian militias and other armed groups from entering.
In 2022, Iran built this bridge to link areas it controls west of the Euphrates with the seven villages its allied militias control east of the river. The bridge, connecting Al-Husayniyah (east of the Euphrates) and Al-Huwayqa (west of the Euphrates), facilitates the transfer of weapons and military supplies across both sides of the river for these militias.
According to sources from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), this Russian measure follows repeated clashes between the US-led International Coalition and Iranian-backed militias affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the area.
The seven villages in the Deir Ezzor countryside—Al-Salihiyah, Hatlah, Khasham, Marat, Tabiyah, Mazlum, and Al-Husayniyah—are under Syrian government control and include local elements connected to Iranian militias. The bridge serves as a strategic link between the city and these villages. Russia’s move aims to assert military control over these villages by restricting entry and exit solely to Russian and government forces, in an effort to de-escalate military tensions in the area.
On Wednesday, two members of local Iranian-aligned militias died from injuries sustained a few days earlier in a US strike near Deir Ezzor Military Airport on Oct. 31, which also injured several others.
In recent days, US forces have conducted daily heavy artillery shelling in the seven villages and areas west of the Euphrates, citing the presence of Iran-backed fighters who are targeting nearby US bases.
Russia had previously requested that the IRGC withdraw Iran-affiliated militias from locations near Deir Ezzor Military Airport and other sites in the city. This request was made during a meeting on Oct. 18 between a Russian military representative in Syria and an IRGC representative in Deir Ezzor, held at a government security facility, according to local media sources.
Russian media indicate that Shoigu’s recent actions have focused on preventing the situation from escalating into a major confrontation, which could significantly harm Russian interests in the region.
Deir Ezzor province and its surroundings have been experiencing increased security instability, which has worsened as Iran and its militias shift their focus toward the conflict in Lebanon and the Israeli attacks on Hezbollah and Iranian forces.

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Syrian Kurds Frustrated with Damascus Over Exclusion from Transitional Govt Formation

Syrian Kurds celebrate in Qamishli the agreement between the Syrian administration and the SDF (Archive - Reuters).
Syrian Kurds celebrate in Qamishli the agreement between the Syrian administration and the SDF (Archive - Reuters).
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Syrian Kurds Frustrated with Damascus Over Exclusion from Transitional Govt Formation

Syrian Kurds celebrate in Qamishli the agreement between the Syrian administration and the SDF (Archive - Reuters).
Syrian Kurds celebrate in Qamishli the agreement between the Syrian administration and the SDF (Archive - Reuters).

Discontent among Syria’s Kurds has been evident following their exclusion from consultations regarding the formation of the transitional government, which is set to be announced by Damascus within hours. The Kurdish National Council (KNC) has confirmed its decision to boycott the government’s inauguration ceremony, despite receiving an official invitation to attend.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, KNC spokesperson Faisal Youssef stated that the new administration in Damascus “did not engage with us regarding the formation of this government, nor did it consult us in selecting its members or portfolios.”
He emphasized that Kurdish political forces are the sole representatives and defenders of Kurdish rights, adding: “We are not interested in merely attending the announcement ceremony; our concern is ensuring our people’s demands are constitutionally recognized.”
Youssef further clarified that the Kurdish bloc was not offered participation in the upcoming government. Expressing his disappointment, he said: “We had hoped the new administration would acknowledge the demands of the Kurdish people, who constitute the country’s second-largest ethnic group, and grant them their rights as partners in building a new Syria.”
The constitutional declaration grants President Ahmad Al-Sharaa sweeping powers to manage the transitional phase but fails to meet the aspirations of minorities, including Kurds and Christians. These groups fear the reproduction of an authoritarian regime, as the declaration sets the transitional period at five years and grants the president control over legislative, executive, and judicial authorities, despite nominally upholding the principle of “separation of powers.”
Zaid Sefouk, from the Independent Kurdistan Movement, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Al-Sharaa government “lacks legitimacy from the people, was formed through unilateral decision-making, and represents a single political faction. It will not be capable of governing Syria or overcoming the destruction left behind by the ousted Ba’athist regime.”
Previously, Al-Sharaa had signed a so-called historic agreement with Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The agreement stipulated the integration of the civil and military institutions of the Autonomous Administration, which is controlled by the SDF in northeastern Syria, into the structures of the central government. It also placed border crossings, Qamishli Airport, and oil, gas, and energy fields in Deir ez-Zor under the central administration in Damascus.
The agreement allows technical committees time to negotiate the details until early next year, providing the SDF an opportunity to push for its demands.
Sources familiar with the government formation have indicated that ministerial positions will be assigned to Kurdish figures. However, when asked about these individuals or political blocs expected to participate, Faisal Youssef denied any contact between the new administration and the Kurdish political movement or any party regarding government participation.
He said: “There has been no discussion with us about the basis on which any Kurdish representatives would join, their level of representation for Kurdish regions, or how our national demands would be met within the framework of state institutions.”
Since its establishment in mid-2014, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has governed civil councils across four provinces: Hasakah, Raqqa, parts of Deir ez-Zor, and the city of Ain al-Arab (Kobani) in eastern Aleppo. This region holds 90% of Syria’s oil and gas reserves.