Update December 12 – SNA/Turkish strikes on Tishreen Dam

Highlights

  • SNA/Turkish strikes on Tishreen Dam risk catastrophic structural damage to essential electricity source.
  • Civilians in Manbij report looting, theft, violence and intimidation by the SNA in the city, with DAANES employees particularly targeted.
  • DAANES adopts Syrian Independence flag and stresses need for Syrian unity and dialogue.

 

Turkish/SNA assault on Qaraqozax and Tishreen Dam

  • Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) report “fierce clashes” ongoing around Tishreen Dam, as the SNA launch a ground assault covered by Turkish warplane strikes.
  • Strikes on the dam have already damaged turbines, cut essential cables, caused leakages and resulted in power outages in the area, say dam authorities – maintenance teams are currently unable to enter the dam to reconnect cables and operate the de-watering pumps needed to prevent flooding and equipment damage.
  • NES NGO Forum warned of the risk of “flooding, loss of life, damage to agricultural land […and] loss of electricity to large segments of Northeast Syria” should the dam collapse.
  • SNA continued to attempt to advance across the Qaraqozak bridge, with intense fighting continuing there.

 

After the ceasefire – Manbij under the SNA

  • Civilian source from Manbij tells RIC: “SNA militiamen in Manbij are storming civilian homes in the city, particularly civilians who were working with the Democratic Autonomous Administration of NES (DAANES); some civilians who worked within the DAANES were able to leave the city for Kobane or Raqqa but they have been receiving telephone threats from the SNA; many people are afraid of speaking out about the situation, because the SNA are checking the phones of the inhabitants of the houses they enter, particularly the phones of young women.”
  • Street protests occurred in Manbij against widespread theft and looting by SNA militiamen.
  • Kurdish Red Crescent reported that “following the SNA’s control of the city, most service facilities in Manbij and its countryside were subjected to looting and vandalism”, including 6 medical facilities supported by international NGOs and 3 Kurdish Red Crescent centers, the Manbij central hospital and 4 ambulances.
  • SDF Commander-in-Chief, Mazloum Abdi, stated: “We hope the ceasefire will take effect in Manbij tomorrow. We agreed that all forces will leave the city and we will give it to local councils to manage. They wanted to cross the bridge to encircle Kobane but we pushed them back, and now they’re not close to the bridge. […] Turkey wants us out of the political process and to weaken us, but it should understand our reality, and its military actions against us failed to destroy us. We are still here. There is no room for more military actions in Syria. There is a new reality in Syria that requires dialogue.”

Deir ez-Zor Military Council is comprised of four sub-councils

DAANES adopts Syrian Independence flag

  • The DAANES announce they will also raise the Syrian independence flag in all DAANES institutions, “affirming the unity of Syria”.
  • DAANES Executive Council co-chair Evin Sweid told RIC: “We have put a lot of effort towards preventing the division of Syria. We wanted dialogue with all forces, to preserve the unity of Syria. […] We believe that if there is no unity in Syria, there will be problems in the future.”
  • In Raqqa, a person opened fire on crowds celebrating the raising of the Syrian independence flag, injuring 43 people. SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami denied claims that the shooter was from the internal security forces (Asayish), referencing a video showing “some locals [who] are carrying guns and start shooting randomly while people were celebrating.”

 

HTS-SDF dialogue prospects

  • Amidst various reports of a NES delegation heading to Damascus to meet HTS, Mazloum Abdi commented: “We need to go for negotiations in Damascus, we are preparing for it right now. […] We will begin the Kurdish talks soon and unite our positions. Kurds should not have separate delegations to Damascus. Any differences should be put aside, and we should unite our position in Damascus, we hope Erbil will also support these efforts.”
  • “There are some understandings between us and HTS, through the Americans, but we did not reach direct negotiations or discussions yet. […] Today, we extend our hand to the Damascus government to unite and form a new government that serves all Syrians,” stated YPG spokesperson Siyamend Ali.
  • DAANES Executive Council co-chair Evin Sweid told RIC: “From the beginning, the Autonomous Administration extended its hand for a political solution in Syria and always called for Syrian-Syrian dialogue […]”. On the topic of relations with HTS, Evin Sweid emphasized: “More than just speeches, we are looking to the practice and implementation. The things Syria has gone through can become a lesson for all of us, which we can all benefit from in building a better Syria. A Syria in which everyone can live with their belief and nationality. We await the practice.”

 

Both defections from and affirmations of support for the SDF

  • Liwa Jund al-Haramain officially defected from the SDF to join the SNA.
  • Turki el-Dari, Deir ez-Zor Military Council spokesperson and Kasra Military Council commander, announced he has left the SDF.
  • In Tel Brak, a group of sheikhs made a public statement calling for “Syrian-Syrian dialogue” and declaring support for the SDF.

 

Risk of ISIS resurgence highlighted

  • US senator Chris Van Hollen stated that Turkish/SNA attacks are making it harder for the US to prevent ISIS from reorganizing in Syria: “these attacks must stop – we cannot allow ISIS to regain its footing during this uncertain transition period.”
  • SOHR reported that some families of foreign ISIS members attempted to escape from al-Hol camp, but were caught by the internal security forces (Asayish).
  • Mazloum Abdi warns that ISIS will take advantage of SDF-SNA fighting to attempt to attack ISIS prisons and SDF-run detention camps, saying ISIS “is now stronger in the Syrian desert. Previously, they were in remote areas and hiding, but now they have greater freedom of movement since they face no issues with other groups and are not engaged in conflict with them.”

 

RIC is on-the-ground in NES and available to provide comment, photos and videos, and contact to IDPs, political representatives and humanitarian personnel for comment. Get in touch via e-mail: [email protected] or on WhatsApp or Signal: +963 992 461 683.