Tensions erupted today, Saturday, March 7, between residents and Internal Security forces in the town of al-Shuyoukh, located west of Ain al-Arab/Kobani in the eastern countryside of Aleppo (northern Syria), after residents were prevented from entering the village.
The media officer of the Aleppo Security Directorate, Mohammad al-Saeed, said that residents attempted to enter the area despite it being filled with landmines.
Al-Saeed told Enab Baladi that engineering teams are currently clearing the mines. Still, residents insist on entering their homes, which led to tension and what he described as “incitement” by some individuals.
He added that the situation has now calmed down, denying that tensions are ongoing at the moment.
Earlier, media outlets circulated a video showing a group of people throwing stones at security vehicles that were said to belong to the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) in al-Shuyoukh town, the security arm of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Activists also reported that residents threw stones at Asayish members at one of the joint checkpoints in the town, rejecting their entry.
Regarding this point, al-Saeed denied the presence of joint checkpoints, stating that all checkpoints belong to the Syrian Ministry of Interior, represented by the Internal Security Command in Aleppo.
According to information obtained by Enab Baladi from a security source, Internal Security positions extend as far as the village of Kanaja in the eastern Aleppo countryside, on the side facing Ain al-Arab/Kobani.
Beyond Kanaja, checkpoints belonging to Asayish, alongside Syrian Internal Security personnel, are deployed.
Asayish to assume the mission
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had begun a gradual and organized withdrawal from al-Shuyoukh town, implementing the provisions of an agreement reached with the Syrian government last January, marking a new step in the security and military understandings between the two sides in northeastern Syria.
The Hawar News Agency, which is close to the SDF, reported on March 2 that the withdrawal process had begun toward the forces’ military barracks. The agency said the move comes “within the framework of implementing the mutual commitments stipulated in the agreement,” which aims to reorganize the security and military situation in the area and enhance stability.
According to the agency, Asayish is expected to assume the duties of the withdrawing forces in the town. This means a shift from a direct military presence to local security administration, as part of a redeployment formula agreed upon with the Syrian government.
In the context of previous conflicts
Al-Shuyoukh town occupies a strategic location west of Ain al-Arab/Kobani, and has previously witnessed military tensions and battles between the SDF and the Islamic State group during the latter’s presence in the region.
The town has remained the subject of ongoing controversy over the years, as displaced residents and human rights organizations have accused the SDF of pursuing displacement policies, particularly targeting Arab residents.
Thousands of residents were displaced after the SDF took control of the town in mid-2015, and many were prevented from returning to their homes for security reasons or on allegations of supporting the Islamic State group.
Some testimonies also indicate that the SDF allowed residents from certain ethnic backgrounds to return or visit their areas while continuing to prevent others from doing so, raising accusations of demographic change and discriminatory policies.
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