Syria: regime and opposition swap allegations over situation in Hasakah

The regime in Syria has swapped allegations of responsibility with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) for the ongoing situation in Hasakah, Arabi21.com has reported. Earlier this week, Daesh militants attempted to free other members of the extremist group from the prison in the city.

Now, it is alleged that the YPG militia has expelled a number of families from the Ghweran neighbourhood, who were subsequently protected by the Syrian regime army. According to Ghassan Khalil, the regime-appointed governor of Hasakah, such incidents have been continuing for four days now and are intended to spread chaos and undermine the reconciliation efforts led by the regime. “Reconciliation efforts embarrass the YPG and the US forces on the ground,” he claimed. “The YPG and the Americans agreed not to take part in any reconciliation with the government.”

Meanwhile, the administration of the opposition Syrian Democratic Forces in the east of the country responded to Khalil’s remarks by pointing out that, “Certain parties linked to Damascus and the failed opposition describe what is going on in Hasakah as crimes against humanity and racist discrimination.” This, the SDF added, is from a regime in Damascus which has killed and liquidated half a million Syrians and displaced more than 10 million others. “It is certainly involved in ‘crimes against humanity’.”

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