Two senior US officials visited the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor and agreed with representatives of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) and local tribal leaders to de-escalate situation in the region amid increasing tensions, the US Embassy in Syria has said.
Last week, sources told Sputnik that the situation in the province had deteriorated after the SDF had arrested the head of the Deir ez-Zor Military Council. On Friday, the SDF announced curfew for two days amid the unstable security situation in the province.
“NEA [Near Eastern Affairs] Deputy Assistant Secretary [Ethan] Goldrich and OIR [Operation Inherent Resolve] Commander Major General Joel Vowell met in northeast Syria with the SDF, the SDC, and tribal leaders from Deir El-Zour. They agreed on the importance of addressing the grievances of residents of Deir El-Zour, the dangers of outsiders interfering in Deir El-Zour, the need to avoid civilian deaths and casualties, and the need for de-escalation of violence as soon as possible,” the embassy tweeted on Sunday.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), composed primarily of the Kurdish People’s Defense Units (YPG), backed by the United States, control most of the Raqqa and Al-Hasakah provinces as well as several residential areas in the provinces of Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor. In particular, they control the greater part of the cities of Al-Hasakah and Qamishli. The official government in Damascus does not recognize the self-proclaimed autonomous administration of the northern and eastern Syria.
