Shops in al-Hasaka markets closed due to rising tensions in the northern part of the city between the regime's forces and the Democratic Union Party (PYD) militias on Thursday May 08,2017.
In a statement to Zaman al-Wasl, Abdul Malik al-Ali, a local activist, said residents feared that sudden clashes would erupt between the regime forces and the militias subordinate to the PYD, so they closed their commercial enterprises in al-Hasakah market and the streets were empty on Thursday afternoon.
According to al-Ali, the tension on a ground reflects a disagreement that arose in the negotiations between Jaiz al-Musa, the regime appointed governor of al-Hasakah, and the Democratic Union Party leaders last week in al-Hasaka.
The Kurdish party's leaders demanded that the regime forces hand over Tamara Street which extends from the Tel Hajar garages in the north of the city to the Electricity roundabout and the children’s hospital in al-Nashwa neighborhood. In exchange, the Kurdish militias would agree to withdraw the al-Husan roundabout, Tel Goiran, and al-Beiruti checkpoints from Goiran neighborhood in the south east of the city.
Al-Ali explained that the PYD did not withdraw its forces from Goiran neighborhood and during the negotiations with the provincial governor, they demanded that the regime forces evacuate from Temara, al-Mahata, and Qamishli streets. Based on their demands, the area of al-Qada and al-Masaken would fall under PYD control. Controlling this area would give the PYD a direct passage from the neighborhoods it controls in the north of the city to al-Nashwa neighborhood south west of it. The governor responded to the demands with threats that the regime forces would escalate the tension after the end of the examination period with the Hmeimim center’s agreement. The Hmeimim center acted as a guarantor of the previous agreements between the two sides.
The threats reached fruition when fighters from both sides were injured during an exchange of fire in the al-Sanat neighborhood at dawn on Thursday. Since then the city has witnessed members of both sides on high alert. The PYD sent reinforcements to the city which is already protected by PYD tanks and fighters.
Local sources indicated that PYD fighters were deployed near the al-Shabab City and the public park at al-Wahda roundabout on the side of the promenade. The Party also increased their fighters’ presence on Cairo and Qamishli streets which prompted many residents to go stay with their relatives in the countryside to avoid any emergencies according to al-Ali.
Clashes broke out between the Kurdish Asayish militia, subordinate to the Autonomous Administration, and the regime’s National Defense militia in central Qamishli city on April 20, 2016. The clashes resulted in the killing of 37 members of both sides and 17 civilians, before the clashes ending on the fourth day with a truce agreement and the exchange of detainees.
The military wing of the Democratic Union Party controls the largest areas of al-Hasakah city and its environs while the regime forces control the security zones, military areas, and a dozen of the villages surrounding al-Hasakah and al-Qamishli cities
