The U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) has called for an end to the clashes in northeastern Syria, where Washington-backed Kurdish forces are engaged in deadly fighting with Arab tribes. The coalition stated, "The violence in northeastern Syria must stop," adding that this "distraction" from the fight against ISIS sleeper cells raises concerns about the group's resurgence.
The fighting erupted on Sunday after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arrested Ahmad al-Khbail, known as Abu Khawla, who headed their Deir ez-Zor council. The SDF stated that Abu Khawla was arrested and removed from his position due to allegations of involvement in multiple crimes, including drug trafficking and failure to address the ISIS threat in the province. The province is home to several large Arab tribes, and Abu Khawla's arrest led to clashes between them and the SDF. Witnesses and local sources reported that at least 40 fighters from both sides and 15 civilians lost their lives in the violence.
