Man arrested by Syrian Democratic Forces confesses to planning assassinations on behalf of Turkish intelligence

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — A man recently arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Units (HAT) of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) confessed to working for Turkish intelligence and trying to destabilize the regions administered by the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) of North and East Syria.

The man, Malik Ibrahim al-Abd, indicated he was tasked by Turkish intelligence with conducting “assassinations of Administration dignitaries, as well as the sheikhs and notables of the region’s tribes.”

Al-Abd indicated he began working for Turkish intelligence after being recruited by someone called Saad Ibrahim al-Yassin. Al-Yassin is supposedly a former member of the Syrian regime’s security apparatus now living in Turkey. According to al-Abd, al-Yassin gave him large sums of money in exchange for carrying out acts of sabotage.

Al-Abd also confessed to receiving $ 800 USD to buy explosive devices and mines to be used in assassinations, sabotage operations on oil and electrical institutions, and bombings of populated areas.

Al-Abd is only one suspected agent of foreign intelligence operating in North and East Syria seeking to undermine the local administration. Sources in the SDF believe that, besides the remnants of the Islamic State, the Syrian regime and Iran are behind a series of assassinations targeting Arab tribal leaders in and around Dayro Zcuro (Deir ez-Zor).