Syria Feature: Latest on Fighting Among Free Syrian Army, Kurdish Militias, and Regime Forces
Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 9:15 | Wladimir van Wilgenburg in EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran Footage of captured regime soldiers after insurgents took Ras al-Ain
The lack of manpower in the Syrian army due to defections and desertions has led to the Free Syrian army expanding into areas with Kurdish populations, despite an agreement between the FSA and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) to stay out of each other’s zones of control. This led to tensions and fighting between the FSA and the PYD in Aleppo Province, both in cities and the countryside, as well as friction between the Kurdish National Council (KNC) and the PYD.
On Thursday, the Ghurabaa' Al-Sham brigade entered Ras al-Ain (Serêkanî) and took over the town. The insurgents captured regime bases and the governor and killed between 20-40 members of the security forces, while taking losses themselves, as inhabitants fled to neighbouring towns and Turkey. Videos of the assault have been posted on YouTube.
Critics claimed the People’s Defence Units attacked a demonstration in Ayn al-Arab (Kobanî) on Friday, wounding several people, one fatally --- the PYD denies involvement. Meanwhile, the pro-PYD news outlet Firat News Agency accused members of the Kurdish National Council of attempting to revive the Free Syrian Army in Kurdish areas. The PYD-affiliated organization TEV-DEM released a statement that any military force "remaining in our area will be regarded as hostile and confronted by Kurds".
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims that, as security forces left the border cities of al-Dirbasiya and Tel Emir, the YPG took over offices of the security forces and the local governorate.
As fleeing residents started to return to al-Dirbasiya and Ras al-Ayn, the PYD has called for an emergency meeting with Kurdish parties to discuss recent developments.
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