What is happening in Deir ez-Zor?

Turkey, the Al-Assad regime, and Iran are currently no sworn enemies as there are joint interests, goals, and plans. Their supposed agreement especially concerns North and East Syria as all parties are hostile towards the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (shortly: AANES).

Recently, the commander of the military council of Deir ez-Zor, a majority Arab group within the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), was deposed and arrested along with four other people for abuse of power. This led to some minor unrest in the region.

Some forces are now seeking to exploit the violence that took place in rural Deir ez-Zor, in an area that includes the International Coalition’s main bases in eastern Syria. Immediately, representatives and voices of the various powers sent out embassies regarding the situation in Deir ez-Zor.

Nawaf al-Bashir, a sheikh of the al-Bakara tribe and leader of the so-called “tribal lions” militia close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, was one of the first to speak out. He said that the areas around Deir ez-Zor would come under the control of the disaffected tribes at a later date. Government institutions would then enter to administer it and restore “Syrian sovereignty” over Deir ez-Zor.

Media sources also reported that Firas al-Jaham, the commander of the National Defense Forces (NDF), a pro-government militia, is said to have provided equipment in Deir ez-Zor for a group of fighters to cross to the opposite bank of the Euphrates. The governorate of Deir ez-Zor, east of the Euphrates, belongs to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, where the unrest is currently taking place. The equipment is intended to help some members of the armed tribes and the military council confront the SDF. Many Syrians consider this approach controversial and describe it as strange and ironic since the majority of tribes in Deir ez-Zor had rebelled against the Assad regime.

These developments coincided with the proliferation of video clips on social media. Several statements contained threats from groups claiming to belong to the “tribes of Deir ez-Zor.” However, they are in the Turkish-occupied zones of Syria controlled by pro-Ankara opposition factions. The men called on the Turkish armed forces to facilitate their access to the conflict zones.

Activists also confirmed that steps are being taken by those loyal to the Assad regime or Iran. In addition, there is a suspicious connection with videos circulating from north-western Syria, which is largely under Turkish control.

The events show close coordination and cooperation between Turkey, the Damascus government, and the Iranian armed forces. Together, the various forces are putting pressure on the international coalition by affecting security and stability in the region. Already at the last meeting between the three actors at the state level and mediated by Russia, a withdrawal of the US presence in eastern Syria was demanded. In this respect, the common approach would cover each other.

But amidst these events and developments came a statement from the sheikhs and “respecters” of the tribes of Deir ez-Zor. They called on all residents of the region to exercise restraint and not be drawn into the stories of outside forces.

Various channels and newspapers that are supported by or are close to Turkey, Qatar, or the Assad regime took up the events in Deir ez-Zor for propaganda purposes. The sheikhs affirmed that the dismissal and accountability of “Abu Khawla” were at the will and will of the tribes themselves. The statement also highlighted the unity between Arabs and Kurds who are fighting together against ISIS and also pointed to the hundreds of years of coexistence in the region.e region.