ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Pro-Syrian regime forces launched an overnight attack in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor, resulting in the death of two civilians with at least five others injured, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Wednesday.
“In the late hours of yesterday evening and continuing into this morning, Syrian regime- backed mercenaries and groups of the so-called National Defense Forces launched a ground attack against areas on the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, east of Deir Ezzor,” said the SDF in a statement, using a different spelling for the province.
Two civilians were killed and at least five others were injured, added the statement by the SDF, which controls much of northeastern Syria (Rojava) and areas along the Euphrates, including the area where this attack occurred.
“In response to this aggression, our forces exercised their legitimate right to defend our area and our people,” the statement added. “They successfully repelled the attack and are currently conducting clearance operations to eliminate any remaining threats posed by the attacking groups,” stated the multi-ethnic force.
The SDF is a diverse force of Kurds, Arabs, Turkmens, and Assyrian Christians. Supported by the US-led global coalition, the group primarily has fought over the past decade against the Islamic State (ISIS) to retake control of many cities and areas across northeastern Syria.
Control of Deir ez-Zor province, which borders Iraq, is now split between the SDF and the Iran-backed Syrian regime. It is also home to many of the country’s key oilfields, such as Omar and Conoco, which the global coalition helps the SDF to control.
As the conflict in Syria moves into a new phase, pro-regime fighters have skirmished with the SDF in the strategic province.
In September, the pro-Damascus groups were able to expel SDF forces from parts of the province. The Kurdish-led force was able to regain control of the areas after a few days.
There is a history of tense relations between the Kurdish-led SDF and some Arab tribes in the province. Some anti-SDF groups have claimed that the Kurdish-led force is targeting Arabs, which the SDF has rejected.
