The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) condemned on Wednesday, October 8, the forced recruitment campaigns carried out by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against civilians in the provinces of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor (eastern Syria) since September 29.

In a statement, the rights group said that between September 29 and October 5, SDF conducted a series of mass detentions that targeted at least 113 people, including 12 children and several institute students, across most neighborhoods of Raqqa city and multiple areas under its control in Deir Ezzor province.

According to local sources cited by SNHR, SDF raids aimed to transfer the detainees to its compulsory recruitment camps.

The campaign covered dozens of neighborhoods and areas, including the 23 February neighborhood, al-Wadi Street, the garages area, and the Housing Institution district in Raqqa city, as well as the town of Dhiban in Deir Ezzor province, in addition to checkpoints at city entrances and surrounding villages, according to the statement.

Accompanying Violations

SNHR reported that SDF members physically assaulted several detainees during the raids, adding that the arrests and raids were still ongoing at the time of publication.

The organization said that SDF released 37 detainees, including four children, after several days of detention, following rising tensions and discontent among local residents and security forces.

SNHR affirmed that it continues to document detention cases and monitor the fate and locations of detainees, as well as violations accompanying these operations.

It considered these practices a flagrant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the recruitment or use of children in armed conflict. The network stressed that these campaigns are being carried out outside any legal framework and through “humiliating methods that undermine human dignity,” without notifying detainees or their families of their whereabouts.

It called for clear measures to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further violations, including the immediate suspension of all forms of forced recruitment, the release of those detained for refusing conscription, and adherence to legal and human rights standards in dealing with civilians in areas under SDF control.

SDF Denial

For its part, the SDF denied the accusations, describing them as “completely false.” In a statement issued on October 1, it said the recent operations were “routine security measures to verify personal identification and ensure the validity of documents,” claiming the steps were taken “to preserve the stability and security of the region against potential breaches.”

Political analyst Hassan al-Nifi told Enab Baladi that SDF’s denial falls within what he called its “policy of denial,” saying the group consistently refuses responsibility for recruitment drives, particularly those involving minors.

Researcher Amer al-Mathqal downplayed SDF’s denial, noting that the group “habitually denies the information reported by activists from within its areas of control.”