Syrian tribal forces seize US-Kurdish backed villages, capture coalition soldiers - report
The incident marks the largest tribesman attack on Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) sites since the start of the Arab tribal rebellion in 2023.
A coalition of Syrian Arab tribes crossed the Euphrates River and attacked Al-Omar and Conoco oil fields and Kurdish controlled villages in Deir Ezzor, Al Mayadeen and Sputnik Arabic reported on Wednesday. The tribal forces used machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, Al Mayadeen added.
The tribal forces - potentially backed by Iran - also seized several towns previously controlled by US-backed Kurdish forces in the countryside of eastern Syria, according to Sputnik Arabic.
The outlet also reported it as the largest tribesman attack on Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) sites since the start of the Arab tribal rebellion in 2023.
Syrian govt militias have freed Al Busayrah and Dhiban with artillery cover from the SAA, among other towns and are conducting a siege upon al Omari oil fieldAmerican aircraft have so far conducted airstrikes on liberated positions in Dhiban pic.twitter.com/1AENO8ScRz
— orthodox salafist (@orthosalafist) August 7, 2024
“Arab tribal fighters managed to damage three Hummer military vehicles in the vicinity of the American base in the Al-Omar oilfield,” Sputnik reported. The Al Omar oil field was attacked earlier this year, Al-Araby reported.
US helicopters reportedly arrived at the seen, according to an Al Mayadeen correspondent on the scene.
Coalition forces at the oil base are on high alert according to Sputnik. Their correspondent in eastern Syria said American warplanes and drones were flying low over the area.
Sources said that the violent attacks let to deaths and injuries on both sides, including militants and civilians. They also claimed that the tribal forces captured SDF soldiers during the onslaught.
A Syrian field journalist for SAMA said that the tribal forces "killed and wounded a number of militia members, including two leaders, and captured a number of others and fled, and seized weapons, ammunition, snipers, and military vehicles, and the tribal operations are still ongoing" according to a post on his X account.
#خـاص بعد تدريبات مستمرة تلقتها قوات العشائر خلال الأشهر الماضية قوات العشائر العربية بقيادة الشيخ إبراهيم الهفل تشن هجوماً عنيفاً هو الأوسع في مدن و بلدات دير الزور ، و تسيطر على عدة نقاط للميليشيا في مدينة البصيرة و بلدات إبريهة و الحريجية و الطيانة و أبو حمام و غرانيج و…
— محمد ضبع Mohamad Dabaa (@MohamadDaba9966) August 7, 2024
Clans wish to liberate the area
Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Hafel, the commander of the Arab tribal forces in Deir Ezzor, said that his clans would continue "the fight against the SDF militants, until the liberation of the tribal areas from occupation forces," in a statement reported on by Sputnik.
Al-Hafel continued by saying that the tribes "will not accept submission to the SDF militants," and that "their sons have the right to liberate their areas from these militants," according to Al Mayadeen.
In February, the Syrian Observer reported that Al-Hafel, who leads the Al-Aqidat tribe, has connections to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in northeastern Syria, through his partnership with Sheikh Farhan al-Marsoumi of the Al-Marasma tribe in Damascus.
The area in Deir Ezzor has previously been connected to IRGC. In March, one member of Iran's IRGC was killed in a series of airstrikes in the area according to SANA.
Jerusalem Post Store
`; document.getElementById("linkPremium").innerHTML = cont; var divWithLink = document.getElementById("premium-link"); if (divWithLink !== null && divWithLink !== 'undefined') { divWithLink.style.border = "solid 1px #cb0f3e"; divWithLink.style.textAlign = "center"; divWithLink.style.marginBottom = "15px"; divWithLink.style.marginTop = "15px"; divWithLink.style.width = "100%"; divWithLink.style.backgroundColor = "#122952"; divWithLink.style.color = "#ffffff"; divWithLink.style.lineHeight = "1.5"; } } (function (v, i) { });