The coalition between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Arab tribes in Deir ez Zor is fracturing amid clashes over long-standing grievances. [xiv] SDF forces have not honored the general amnesty and instead continue to arrest pro-tribal activists and locals. [xx] Arab forces have already defected from the SDF, which reduces the number of SDF forces available to combat ISIS. [xxvii] The regime’s policies before 2011 and ISIS’s behavior during the 2010s have already weakened Arab tribal leadership in Deir ez Zor. [xlvi]Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affirmed his support for the Arab tribes in a comment to reporters on September 4.

Source: Washington Post September 15, 2023 16:26 UTC