Prisoners protest in Syria's Kobani after Kurdish soldier's murder test al-Sharaa's - analysis

Eight prisoners perished and seventeen others sustained injuries during the recent clashes between local residents and security forces in the northern Syrian city of Kobani. According to a Syrian news agency, the tensions arose from a public protest in the city demanding an investigation into the kidnapping and murder of Sami Hassou, a member of the Syrian Ministry of Defense, which occurred in Hasakah Governorate.

This latest incident underscores the concerns that many Kurds harbor regarding the manner in which the new government addresses crises.

Kurds have attempted to integrate into the new security forces as part of a January agreement that concluded conflicts between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the government. However, the SDF commander, Mazloum Abdi, has recently disbanded the SDF. Tensions persist, and disputes between various factions, such as Bedouin tribes and Kurds, often escalate into violence.

Sipan Hizni, also known as Sami Sheikhmous Hiso, was a Kurdish member of the Syrian Democratic Forces who had integrated into the Syrian security forces. His murder has angered the people. On Friday, his sister informed a news outlet that her brother was beheaded after being kidnapped. Authorities have identified the main suspect but have not yet arrested him.

It is believed that the suspect belongs to a local tribe called the Baqara or Al-Baggara, which has a significant presence in the Euphrates River valley, as well as in other parts of the Middle East, including Iraq and Jordan.

The Baqara tribe has had a complex relationship with the SDF since the defeat of ISIS in 2019. Some tribes collaborated with the SDF, while others resisted their rule. Some tribes had fought alongside ISIS and suffered massacres, while others cooperated with ISIS. Some tribes allied with the Assad regime.

There is no straightforward narrative regarding the tribes; they frequently cooperate with one another. For example, a video surfaced showing an armed group from the Al-Aqaidat tribe expressing solidarity with the Baqara tribe and pledging to provide support, such as weapons and manpower, amidst the tensions between Kurds and Arabs following the beheading of a former SDF fighter, Sipan, by Baggara tribal members who claimed it was retaliation for an incident that occurred two years prior.

The slain soldier's sister expressed uncertainty about the cause of his death and that his body was interred in Hasaka. Sipan Hamo, a former SDF commander and deputy to the Syrian defense minister for eastern areas in Syria, denounced the killing. He stated that the competent authorities have arrested several individuals involved in the crime and are continuing their efforts to apprehend all the culprits, who will be held accountable before the judiciary in accordance with the law.

Following the murder, protests erupted in Hasaka, leading to clashes between various tribes. Hamo called for patience, self-control, and avoidance of inciting strife among the people. After the initial protests on Thursday and Friday, they spread to Kobani, in Aleppo province. Overnight, three individuals were killed, and many were injured during a prison fire as security forces were transferring detainees to Aleppo city.

North Press corroborated this account. Farhad Shami, who served as the SDF's spokesperson until the group was disbanded, detailed the tragedy, noting that the Kurdish people protested in various locations demanding the arrest and prosecution of those responsible. In Kobani, the protests were particularly prominent.

Shami also criticized the security forces for insulting Kurds and using racist chants. He alleged that they arrested several young men who participated in the protests, an action inconsistent with the security forces' duty to protect citizens and uphold their right to peaceful protest. The detainees faced abuse in prison, and their protests led to the setting of their blankets ablaze, ultimately resulting in the fire that claimed nine lives.