Calm Returns to Qamishli after Tension between Regime, Kurdish Forces

Statue of Basel al-Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in Qamishli (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Statue of Basel al-Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in Qamishli (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Calm Returns to Qamishli after Tension between Regime, Kurdish Forces

Statue of Basel al-Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in Qamishli (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Statue of Basel al-Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in Qamishli (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Tensions have eased in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishili after Russian forces intervened following clashes between pro-regime and Kurdish forces.

The Russian forces, deployed in the vicinity of the city's airport, brokered an agreement to release all detainees and end the fighting.

Qamishli is controlled by various forces. The regime maintains a security zone inside the city along the international airport, while the Kurdish Autonomous Administration controls the Qamishli region.

Locals reported tension on Monday between the regime and the Kurdish Asayish forces against the backdrop of mutual arrests.

Military forces were seen on high alert and deployed along separation lines, including Qaddour Beik, al-Jisr al-Jadid, and the western part of the security zone.

Asaad, 45, who works in a pastry shop in Qamishli, said tensions prevailed in the area and there was an unusual heavy deployment of military units, noting that many streets and neighborhoods were closed.

He also reported that security forces asked civilians and residents to avoid the central market area.

Kurdish security sources said that the tension grew after the Syrian regime detained one of their members. The Kurds responded by arresting Syrian troops after they refused mediations to release the detainees.

The Russian military police repeatedly intervene to maintain stability in the city.

In December, tensions renewed after mutual arrests between the Asayish and the regime forces, but Moscow succeeded in releasing all detainees.

Earlier, three officers and a brigadier general of the General Air Force Intelligence Service at the airport were arrested, which led to tensions in the area.

In response, the General Air Force Intelligence arrested a number of civilians and employees of the Autonomous Administration on charges of failing to perform compulsory government service.

As a result, military forces were deployed at the junction leading to the airport and at the entrances to al-Tayy and Halko neighborhoods.

They also established checkpoints near the exits of the security zone, amid warnings for residents to stay away from the checkpoints and windows.

Medical sources said that four members of the regime forces were injured.

Zainab, a resident of the security zone, said the area falls under the control of regime troops. However, the Autonomous Administration controls everything.

The Arab Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by Washington, control most of the city and its commercial center. They are based in government departments and institutions. Whereas the regime forces, including the Moscow-backed National Defense forces, control the security zone, Qamishli airport, and the regiment 137.

In addition, the Sutoro forces control the Christian neighborhoods in the city. The militias are divided in their affiliations, with some belonging to the Kurds and others to the regime.

Each military force determined its areas of control with earth mounds, sand bags, and checkpoints.

Civilians move easily from one neighborhood to another without inspections or identity papers. Vehicles with Autonomous Administration plates enter regime areas and streets under the control of the Sutoro Forces without any trouble. In return, regime members and their vehicles roam freely in the rest of the city.



Trump Victory Fuels Fears of Netanyahu’s Increased Freedom in Lebanon

Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
TT

Trump Victory Fuels Fears of Netanyahu’s Increased Freedom in Lebanon

Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)

Lebanese are watching closely after Donald Trump’s election as US president, hoping his policies might bring solutions to regional crises and possibly halt wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Observers caution, however, that change won’t be immediate or at Israel’s expense; instead, they expect Israel could have more military leeway before peace efforts begin.

Trump didn’t outline his plans to end conflicts during his victory speech, only briefly mentioning the issue.

Fares Soeid, a former Lebanese MP, called Trump’s win a potential global turning point, particularly in conflict zones like Ukraine and the Middle East. Soeid believes Trump’s support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s far-right may intensify.

Soeid told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump’s election could hasten military actions on the Lebanese-Israeli border, allowing Netanyahu more freedom to secure military objectives and strengthen Israel’s negotiating position.

He suggested key UN resolutions intended to control arms in Lebanon may lose focus, with the goal shifting to place all weapons under state control.

There is concern in Lebanon over any change to Resolution 1701, which maintains the ceasefire with Israel.

Soeid clarified that Trump might not scrap these resolutions outright but could push for tighter arms restrictions, ensuring only Lebanon’s government holds power over weapons.

He believes the US may aim to create a cohesive Lebanese leadership to enforce these measures, essentially enabling Netanyahu more flexibility in regional matters.

The US election drew intense interest in Lebanon, with citizens and officials closely tracking the campaigns and vote results, hoping for a positive shift.

Lebanese politician Khaldoun Sharif noted that Trump reached out to Lebanese Americans during his campaign, promising to bring peace to Lebanon quickly.

He sees Trump’s advisor, Lebanese-born Massad Boulos, as potentially instrumental in highlighting Lebanon’s needs to the new administration.

Sharif criticized the outgoing Democratic administration’s handling of conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, saying it failed to curb Netanyahu’s plans despite multiple ceasefire proposals.

As Trump prepares to take office on January 20, Sharif emphasized that Lebanon is eager for a complete ceasefire, adherence to Resolution 1701, a consensus-backed president, and a transparent, reform-oriented government to rebuild trust with Arab nations and the international community.

Sharif voiced disappointment that past US administrations have often overlooked Lebanon’s significance.

Now, amid a severe conflict, he hopes Trump will act swiftly to end the violence, support reconstruction, and restore Lebanon’s standing on the regional stage.