MILITARY CONSCRIPTION IN DEIR-EZ-ZOR SITUATION REPORT 1 March 2021

Contents

Key points 1

Current situation 3

Analysis and forecasting 5 Humanitarian impact 6

Cover Photo: Teachers protest in Deir-ez-Zor, Source: North Press Agency, February 2021

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KEY POINTS

 The last three months have witnessed increasing tension between the local population and the Self-Administration in Deir-ez-Zor governorate, after the latter launched compulsory military recruitment campaigns, labelled as ‘Self-Defense’ recruitment campaigns. These targeted administrative and humanitarian civil servants who were born between 1990 and 2000.

 The Self-Defense committee's campaign focused on staff of educational complexes, municipalities, local councils, and administrative directorates throughout Deir-ez- Zor governorate. Local sources indicate that the Self-Administration aims to recruit up to 25% of its employees in its military ranks.

 The decision was faced with heavy resistance by the local population, as civilians including teachers and students organized widespread protests and strikes, calling on schools to close in rejection of the decision.

 The Self-Defense Law, also known as the Compulsory Military Service Law, has been in place since 2014, but several internal and external factors have contributed to postponing its implementation in Deir-ez-Zor governorate until recently.

 Suspending compulsory military conscription was, and still is, one of the demands of Arab tribal leaders in Deir-ez-Zor.

 The conscription of teachers could have a negative impact on the education sector in Deir-ez-Zor given it already suffers from understaffing.

 Increased conscription arrests are likely to impact humanitarian actors on the ground, particularly locals employed in humanitarian organizations who could be at risk of arrest.

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CURRENT SITUATION throughout Deir-ez-Zor governorate: In December, the Self-Defense committee requested that teachers from (Hajin The last three months have witnessed increasing subdistrict) and Basira (Basira subdistrict) be tension between the local population and the required to sign up, with threats of dismissal Self-Administration in Deir-ez-Zor governorate. should they refuse.1,2 The situation then The latter’s military branch, the Syrian escalated when SDF forces raided the Hajin Democratic Forces (SDF), launched compulsory education complex and arrested an unknown military recruitment campaigns, labelled as ‘Self- number of teachers.3 On 19 February, the Syrian Defense’ recruitment campaigns, targeting Network for Human Rights (SNHR) reported a administrative and civil servants born between total of 61 teachers arrested since the beginning 1990 and 2000. of 2021. Also, a further 550 teachers who On 14 November, the Self-Administration issued refused conscription were fired from positions in a decision calling on civil administration Deir-ez-Zor, Ar-, and Al-Hasakeh employees to report for compulsory Self- governorates.4,5 The SNHR report also details Defense military service with the SDF. This was that the arrests were done without an arrest compounded on 26 January, when the executive warrant, no clear charges were made, and those board of the Self-Administration issued Circular conducting the arrests did not identify No.2 giving a 30-day window for those residing themselves or specify which division they in Self-Administration areas and 90 days for belonged to. those living elsewhere, to report to the Self- In further examples of the implementation of the Defense offices for registration. campaign, local media outlets reported that the The Self-Defense committee's campaign focused Self-Defense committee required each on educational complexes, municipalities, local municipality and local council across the councils, and administrative directorates governorate to send a minimum of three

December الحماية الذاتية” تب لّغ المجمعات التربوية في دير الزور بأسماء عشرات المدرسين المطلوبين للتجنيد اإللزامي في صفوفها“ Syrian Observatory for Human Rights 1 2020 2 Naher Media via Facebook. 20 December 2020 January 2021 .قسد تالحق المعلمين الرافضين للتجنيد في دير الزور TV 3 February 2021 انتهاكات مستمرة.. تقرير: “قسد” اعتقلت 61 مد رّساّ منذ بداية العام الجاري Jesr Press 4 5 Some of those arrested also included teachers accused of teaching the Syrian government curriculum, however the number is unclear.

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employees to join the military. Other reports to reach Shihail (Shihail subdistrict), Thiban, have indicated that the Self-Defense committee Tayyana and Abu Hardoub (Thiban subdistrict). required the employees from the Directorate of On 3 January 2021, clashes took place in the Agriculture in Deir-ez-Zor to submit their town of Zghir Jazira as SDF members tried to military records of compulsory service within a disperse the crowds by firing bullets in the air, week, to demonstrate conscription history, or resulting in the injury of three protesters and they would be dismissed.6,7 The SDF and the prompting further demonstrations. General Security-affiliated Military Police On 18 January, teachers in Hajin held a protest deployed checkpoints in the towns of Hajin, Sosa and issued a statement titled ‘Teachers not (Susat subdistrict), and Thiban, Sweidan Jaziram, Recruits’, through which they rejected and Darnaj (Thiban subdistrict), arresting 50 compulsory recruitment and blamed the young men wanted for military conscription.8 Education Authority of the Deir-ez-Zor Civil Council and the prominent Sheikhs in the Hajin In response, mass civilian protests erupted region for not protecting them from 9,10 across the Deir-ez-Zor governorate, calling for conscription. Teachers also published a plea, which was filmed and circulated online, calling on the Self-Administration to put a stop to all schools to shut until the SDF retracted the compulsory military recruitment campaigns. On decision, leading to the closure of a number of 21–24 December, protests were held in the schools. On 7 January, schools in eastern Deir- towns of Sosa, Bubadran, Al Bagouz, Marashdeh, ez-Zor in the towns of , Al-Bahra, Al Arqoub and Alsafafnah (Susat subdistrict), Hawayej, Thiban, and then went on strike in protest against the recruitment of Basira, Hawayej, Sweidan Jazira and Eastern teachers.11,12 Jarda (Thiban subdistrict), all in the eastern countryside of Deir-ez-Zor to be later extended

6 Reports indicate that the Self-Defense committee of the Deir-ez-Zor Civil Council wanted-list contained the names of 107 teachers in the Basira subdistrict and 150 names of teachers in the Hajin subdistrict. 7 On 10 January, local media reported on another SDF raid on an education complex in Hajin (Hajin subdistrict), demanding that all teachers submit the names of other teachers who reject compulsory recruitment. 8 Local sources indicate that on 27 December, SDF checkpoints arrested 40 young men in the town of Shiheil (Shiheil subdistrict) wanted for military service. On 4 January unspecified numbers of men wanted for conscription were arrested in the town of Izba (Izba subdistrict). On 19 and 20 January, the SDF and the General Security-affiliated Military Police deployed checkpoints in the towns of Hajin (Hajin subdistrict), Sosa (Susat subdistrict), and Thiban, Sweidan Jaziram and Darnaj (Thiban subdistrict), and reportedly arrested 50 young men wanted for military conscription. 9Baladi News, Teachers not conscripts; A campaign to reject compulsory recruitment in the Qasd area of Deir ezZor January 2021 December 2020 دير الزور.. معلمون يحتجون على سوقهم للتجنيد بصفوف "قسد" |صور Syria TV 10 January 2021 "دير الزور.. إضراب بعدة مدارس احتجاجا على تجنيد المعلمين في "قسد Syria TV 11 January 2021 .مدارس "غرانيج" في دير الزور تغلق أبوابها احتجاجا على قرار "قسد" تجنيد المعلمين Baladi News 12

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In an effort to ease the tension, leaders within join, on a voluntary basis. Those with chronic the Self-Administration’s military and political illnesses or disabilities are exempt, as are family wings met with civil administrators and teachers members of soldiers killed in action. Service may from Hajin, Al Bagouz, and Sosa to discuss also be postponed if an individual is the sole reasons behind their refusal to join the breadwinner for the family, or if there is already compulsory military service. Local sources a family member in active service.14 reported that the teachers demanded their Although the law has been in effect in all areas of exemption from service, while others demanded the Self-Administration, several internal and improved conditions of the service itself, external factors have contributed to postponing including an increase in the monthly salary and its implementation in Deir-ez-Zor governorate. to be able to serve in the area in which they live. Internal factors revolve around the long- Other sources reported that teachers have standing tensions between the Arab tribes and expressed concern about the increased attacks the Kurdish-majority Self-Administration.15 against the SDF by ISIS, and the potential for Suspending compulsory military conscription being targeted. was, and still is, one of the demands of Arab tribal ANALYSIS AND leaders in Deir-ez-Zor. This came in the closing statement of the tribal conference in Ain Issa in FORECASTING May 2019 and most recently on 31 January, through the statements of Sheikh Hajim Al- The Self-Defense Law, introduced in July 2014 Bashir, head of the Bakara tribe, and Sabbah Al- and amended in June 2019, consists of 35 Amash, one of the elders of the Anabaza tribe in articles laying out the details for compulsory subdistrict.16 Additionally, as part of military service:13 Males between the ages of 18 COVID-19 preventative measures the Self- and 30 must complete twelve months of military service within the SDF. Females are also able to

June 2019 بالتفصيل… قانون واجب الدفاع الذاتي لإلدارة الذاتية لروج آفاي كّردستان Xeber 24 13 14 In July 2014, the Self-Defense Law stipulated that every family in Al-Jazirah region must provide one of its members to perform the duty of Self-Defense for a period of six months. 15 The tension that has significantly increased after the assassination of Sheikh Mutshar Al-Hafl in last August has led the Self-Administration to unofficially seize military conscription campaigns in Deir-ez-Zor. 16 Al-Amash posted a video on social media declaring his rejection of the policy after rumours stated the opposite. He went on to add that his rejection was due to the “bad economic conditions” in Self-Administration-held areas, and that he stands firm with Sheikh Hajib Al-Bashir.

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Administration halted recruitment for three campaigns in councils could lead to a crackdown months from April to July 2020.17 on the individuals responsible. This has happened previously, where in September 2019, Reports indicate that the Self-Administration the Military Police arrested Mohammad Al- aims to recruit up to 25% of its administrative Hassan, the joint head of the Self-Defense office employees into the military. It is difficult to responsible for compulsory recruitment in Deir- determine the reasons behind this sudden drive, ez-Zor. Al-Hassan was accused of inciting tribal however local sources report that in recruiting leaders into violence against the SDF; however, from civil institutions, the Self-Administration is local sources report that Al-Hassan is known to then able to free-up positions for military be a critic of the Self-Administration and the personnel who have completed their service. SDF’s policies, particularly its suspected failure Regardless of the reasons behind the decision, to conduct compulsory recruitment of the ramping up of compulsory recruitment tribesmen.18 campaigns in Deir-ez-Zor is likely to lead to an increase in tension between the Self- HUMANITARIAN Administration and the local communities in the region. Anti-Self-Administration protests are IMPACT recurrent in eastern Deir-ez-Zor, where The reactivation of compulsory recruitment demonstrators often turn violent and block campaigns in Deir-ez-Zor communities may have roads and access routes, and in some cases storm a major impact on humanitarian operations. local administrative buildings and councils. The Local sources reported that male humanitarian impact of continuous, underlying tension workers have expressed concern regarding the furthers the divide between the Arab population conscription law, particularly given it does not and the local governing body, reducing the Self- exclude humanitarian workers from the Administration’s authority and potentially decision. This places them at direct risk of destabilising communities. In addition, failure to involuntary conscription and possible arrest properly enforce or support recruitment while commuting or travelling, at work, or at

17 On 5 April 2010, the Self-Administration issued Resolution No.34 which stated the “halting of all compulsory recruitment campaigns for the duty of Self- Defense” in Self-Administration areas in northeast Syria for a period of three months from 5 April 2020 until 5 July 2020. 18 Al-Hassan was also accused of “being in contact with individuals in Turkey and members of the Turkish-backed National Army”, and was subsequently detained in the prison of the city of Shaddadah (Shadadah subdistrict).

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home, and places limits on their movement measures have already affected access to which could negatively affect programming and education for students. This could be made even implementation. This is already being witnessed worse with news of a number of teachers being in a number of areas in eastern Deir-ez-Zor, dismissed from their jobs, due to their refusal to where humanitarian workers have been accept conscription, within a period ranging temporarily arrested in Kisreh (Kisreh between 3–7 days. This was previously seen in subdistrict). Ar-Raqqa on 17 November 2020, where the Education Committee of Ar-Raqqa Civil Council Conscripting teachers could also damage the dismissed 40 teachers who refused to join education sector in Deir-ez-Zor. School strikes compulsory recruitment at the time.19 and closures due to COVID-19 precautionary

November 2020 قسد" تقيل 40 معلماّ لرفضهم التجنيد اإلجباري ضمن صفوفها Syria TV 19

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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.