Clashes and chaos in Syria's Al-Hol Camp as tribes and SDF clash
Shafaq News/ Recent armed confrontations between tribal groups and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have triggered turmoil in the Al-Hol camp, resulting in the flight of some women, including Moroccans, towards Idlib, according to sources from the families of Moroccans stranded in Syria.
Reports from Hespress newspaper indicate that the unrest in northeastern Syria has created an opportunity for smugglers, who have received substantial sums of money from women seeking to be smuggled to Idlib on the Syrian-Turkish border.
The women reportedly feared that tribal factions would take control of the region, prisons, and camps, subjecting them to potential revenge and unfair trials.
The stranded individuals were apprehensive about the prospect of a weakened Kurdish presence in the area, potentially allowing ISIS elements to infiltrate and detain them, despite the Kurds imposing restrictions by closing markets and withholding water.
In a related development, the National Coordination for the Families of Moroccan Stranded and Detainees in Syria and Iraq issued a statement expressing deep concerns for their detained family members, emphasizing the absence of information about their conditions and fate.
The group criticized Moroccan officials' "procrastination" in resolving and deporting the stranded individuals back to their homeland.
The committee also highlighted the deteriorating situation in the camps and the absence of primary humanitarian conditions, calling on human rights organizations, actors, and civil society to intervene and address the plight of Moroccans in Syria and Iraq.
Earlier this week, clashes erupted in several villages in the eastern countryside of Deir Ez-zor Governorate after the SDF isolated the commander of its Deir Ez-Zor Military Council. Local fighters loyal to the detained leader launched attacks against the SDF, resulting in ongoing clashes.
Deir Ez-Zor Governorate has a significant Arab majority, and numerous Arab tribes inhabit the region. The Syrian Democratic Forces control the eastern bank of the Euphrates River in the governorate. In contrast, the Syrian regime forces, Iranian-backed groups, and their allies are stationed on the western bank.
Efforts have been made to mediate and halt the violence between SDF forces and Arab tribes in Deir Ez-Zor, with American sponsorship playing a role in the negotiations.
