Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria issue statement on recent attacks by Syrian Government militia

ZALIN ܙܐܠܝܢ (QAMISHLI), Syria – Zalin (Qamishli) city has recently witnessed repeated attacks by the National Defense Forces (NDF) of Syrian Government in Damascus on the Internal Security Forces (ISF) of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) of North and East Syria. Yesterday, there was an exchange of fire between the NDF and ISF over the former’s construction of a new checkpoint in an agreed upon buffer zone south of the city. The days and weeks prior have seen bomb and grenade attacks and another incident at a checkpoint in the city which resulted in the death of an ISF member and a civilian, as well as an unknown number of casualties among the NDF.

The media office of Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria released a statement on its website concerning the most recent incident.

********** PRESS STATEMENT **********

The militia of so-called “National Defense Forces” of the Syrian Government continues its arbitrary actions in Qamishli, creating chaos and striking our security forces in order to sow tension in the city, taking advantage of the curfew in our areas.

On Tuesday, April 21st, members of National Defense Force deliberately targeted an Internal Security Forces military post in the Halku neighborhood from their positions in the area. The NDF were trying to move toward areas which are under the control of the ISF in order to capture them and set up military posts there. In the past few days, the NDF had fired at ISF military posts and the ISF responded to the sources of fire.

The Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria assure all Syrians that they will not stand idly by against anyone who tries to target the security of our cities and the safety of our citizens.

The actions of the Syrian Government’s militia are an expression of weakness, while their cowardly actions come at a time when our forces are busy protecting our cities and citizens from the corona pandemic that has engulfed the world, despite the U.N. call for a cease-fire on all sides. The Internal Security Forces have shown their commitment to the U.N.’s call, but the Syrian Government’s militia has not.

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