Anti-US Protest Rallies in Syria End in Clashes with Kurdish Militants

Syria’s official news agency (SANA) reported on Tuesday that residents of the village of al-Hawa’ej in the Eastern parts of Deir Ezzur held protest rallies against the US forces’ deployment.

The protest rallies were held after a leader of al-Akidat tribe was killed by unknown assailants on Sunday.

The rallies led to clashes with the Kurdish militants and injuring of 3 villagers.

Also, on Monday night, residents of the village of Zabyan in Northern Deir Ezzur held anti-SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) rallies. They blocked the road to prevent moves by the SDF militants.

Northeastern and Eastern Syria have been the scene of anti-US and anti-SDF rallies in the past two years.

In June, Syrians staged a protest in Northeastern Hasaka province to condemn the presence of the SDF, a US-backed anti-Damascus alliance of mainly Kurdish militants.

The demonstration took place near the town of al-Shaddadah, South of Hasaka.  

The Arabic service of Russia's Sputnik news agency reported that the demonstrators were residents of "al-Bajdali, al-Hariri and Al-Hana al-Sharqiyah villages from the al-Muhasen/al-Jabbour tribe in the al-Shaddadi countryside".

The protesters tried to reach Shaddadi, but the Kurdish forces, known as Asayish, blocked their way, according to the report.

They were angry about the killing of a young man and the wounding of several others by the SDF militants. 

The demonstrators also called for the withdrawal of the US forces from the area and the return of the Syrian army.