SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES LAY SEIGE TO GOVERNMENT TERRITORY IN NORTHEAST FLASH REPORT 2 February 2021

SDF siege on security squares an ultimatum to Syrian government forces, requesting their complete evacuation, or they takes Syrian government by would attack both locations. surprise The sieges were not only limited to the On 5 January, the Syrian Democratic Forces government’s security squares in Quamishli and (SDF) imposed a siege on Syrian government Al-Hasakeh cities, but also extended to include ‘security squares’, in the cities of Quamishli and institutions and service provision buildings run Al-Hasakeh, in the Al-Hasakeh governorate in by the Syrian government across the Al-Hasakeh northeast Syria. The SDF’s Internal Security governorate. Local reports indicate that the ISF Forces (ISF) deployed checkpoints around the forces cordoned off the Directorate of General Syrian government's locations and prevented Census in Tal Tamer, (Tal Tamer subdistrict) and the entry or exit of commercial and food trucks, the national hospital and water directorate, both private vehicles, and government military in Al-Hasakeh city, preventing Syrian convoys into the area.1 The SDF allegedly issued

1 The Syrian government’s security squares in Al-Hasakeh and Quamishli city existed pre-2011 and were, as they are now, centers of the government’s institutional and civilian and military departments. During the conflict, the government had ceded territory and facilities to the YPG for it to operate. However, clashes between both sides took place later on and the government lost more territory in the northeast resulting in the current zones of control in Quamishli on April 2016 and Al-Hasakeh on August 2016 MERCY CORPS HUMANITARIAN ACCESS SDF LAY SEIGE TO GOVERNMENT TERRITORY IN NORTHEAST  1 government employees from entering.2 In response, local reports show that the Syrian government has significantly tightened its security measures in the Kurdish-majority Sheikh Maqsoud' and Ashrafieh areas in Aleppo city, and in Tall Refaat town, in Tall Refaat subdistrict. Local sources reported that the Syrian government has tightened security around these areas, while government forces are accused of harassment and Figure 1: ISF checkpoints placed around Quamishli city’s security square

extortion when searching vehicles and individuals attempting to pass through – entry fees have apparently been increased from 5,000 to 60,000 SYP per truck.3

A week into the siege, on 17 January, the Russians mediated a meeting between the Syrian government and the Self- Administration at Quamishli airport. Reports indicate that the meeting concluded without results, Figure 2: ISF checkpoints around Al-Hasakeh city's security square but with the Russian

2 The directorate of General Census is located in Tall Tamer township, 38 km northwest of Al-Hasakeh city and 87 km southwest of Quamishli city, well outside the confines of both security squares. 3 Syrian government forces manning the checkpoints around Kurdish-majority Aleppo areas previously demanded 5,000 SYP as an entry fee from transport trucks delivering goods and are now asking for 60,000 - 70,000 SYP per truck. MERCY CORPS HUMANITARIAN ACCESS SDF LAY SEIGE TO GOVERNMENT TERRITORY IN NORTHEAST  2 mediator instructing both sides to exercise government also ceased the provision of existing restraint while another meeting was set up. This services in Al-Hasakeh; services which were took place on 19 January, again with Russian provided through agreements made with the mediation, and according to local pro- Self-Administration, including water provision government media outlets resulted in an from the Alouk water station were stopped on agreement being reached.4 Little evidence of this 18 January.5 This cessation was reciprocated the was seen on the ground in Al-Hasakeh however, next day when electricity from the Al Furat as the siege on the security square in the city hydroelectric dam (under Self-Administration appeared to tighten following the discussion. In control) was cut to government-held southern Quamishli on the other hand, reports from 21 Ar-Raqqa and the northeastern Homs January indicate that the siege was lifted. countryside. Finally, the significant troop movements on both sides indicate a willingness Scale, planning and response for military action. In the first week of January, unprecedented local sources reported that the pro-Russian 5th Corps reinforced the Russian airbase in Although tit-for-tat attacks and arrests between Quamishli airport with 200 fighters, followed the Syrian government’s National Defense closely by 300 fighters from the Russian military Forces (NDF) and the ISF are commonplace police.6 Media sources then reported the entry around the government’s security squares, this of 40 US armored vehicles and trucks to bases in month's events are unprecedented for three Deir-ez-Zor and Al-Hasakeh governorates on 21 main reasons. Firstly, the coordination needed to January, possibly in retaliation to government impose the sieges in both Al-Hasakeh and and Russian troop deployments, with Quamishli indicate premeditated high-level government media later stating that an planning: The sieges themselves were not limited additional 200 US soldiers were deployed in Al- to the Syrian government's locations in the Hasakeh via helicopter. security squares, but also extended to government-run administrative and service Potential breakdown in political provision buildings across the governorate. talks Secondly, the Syrian government’s response to the incident in Al-Hasakeh was unexpectedly These governorate-wide events are indicators severe. The response included heightening for potential change. Although there have been security measures and imposing a partial-siege limited statements from either side, it is against the Kurdish-majority pockets under its publically known that since 2018 there have control in Aleppo governorate. The Syrian been ongoing discussion between the

4 Neither the Syrian government nor Self-Administration issued statements confirming this claim, while local sources reported that no agreement had been reached. Contrary to the pro-government media outlet’s claim, local sources reported that the SDF tightened their siege of Al-Hasakeh city on 19 January reinforcing checkpoints with fighters and armored vehicles in addition to reportedly deploying snipers around the square. 5 Local sources reported that, under the instruction of the government’s Al-Hasakeh governor, the Alouk water station was deactivated on 18 January depriving all of Al-Hasakeh city’s residents from government water supply. 6 The Russian military established an airbase in Quamishli International Airport in November 2019 in agreement with the Syria Democratic Forces. The base includes air defense systems, a flight control room, pre-flight training facilities, and medical facilities. MERCY CORPS HUMANITARIAN ACCESS SDF LAY SEIGE TO GOVERNMENT TERRITORY IN NORTHEAST  3 government and the Self-Administration in Biden inauguration, coincidence relation to the northeast. There is some or cause? speculation that the events in Al-Hasakeh could be a reaction to the collapse of these political The unprecedented events which occurred in Al- talks. The breakdown of these talks could be Hasakeh could also, to a lesser extent, be the attributed to one, or more, of the following beginning of an upcoming change in the factors: relationship between the Syrian government and the Self-Administration. The siege and (i) The Syrian government’s history of highly ultimatum set by the Self-Administration centralized authority in Damascus vs. the coincided with the inauguration of newly- Self-Administration’s post-2011 desire to elected US president Joe Biden and his preserve its institutions in northeastern administration on 20 January. Noting this, and Syria; that government squares were not stormed (ii) The possible integration of the SDF into the afterwards (despite threats), the deadline could Syrian Arab Army, and a lack of adequate be symbolic, signaling a turning point in the Self- resolutions on how this would take place; Administration’s relationship with the (iii) The limited confidence-building measures government. between the Self-Administration and Syrian Indeed, local sources reported on increased talks government – a lack of trust from both between Self-Administration officials and the US parties would render any agreement fragile; administration during this period. This has (iv) The Russian mediatory role perceived by the possibly led to a perceived increase in support Self-Administration to be insufficient, which for the Self-Administration by the US, would add to a lack of trust in negotiations. emboldening it to take action against its long- term opponent, the Syrian government. The SDF may have imposed the sieges this month to show the government that it is no longer an underdog, either in a one-off show of force or in a demonstration of potential future dynamics.

MERCY CORPS HUMANITARIAN ACCESS SDF LAY SEIGE TO GOVERNMENT TERRITORY IN NORTHEAST  4 Cover photo: Arial view of Al Hasakeh city (North Press Agency)

CONTACT Nicholas Bodanac Humanitarian Access Team

[email protected] The Humanitarian Access Team (HAT) was established in Beirut in March 2015 in response to the collective challenges facing the remote humanitarian response in Syria. Successful humanitarian and development interventions require a nuanced and objective understanding of the human ecosystems in which these interventions occur. To this end, the HAT’s most important function is to collect, triangulate, synthesize, analyze and operationalize disparate data and information. Since 2015, HAT analysis has provided a forward-looking template for international interventions in Syria, and facilitated an increasingly nimble, adaptive, integrated, and ultimately impactful international response to the Syrian conflict.