The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) carried out a raid campaign in the town of al-Susah (eastern Deir Ezzor governorate, eastern Syria) on Saturday, 3 December.

Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Deir Ezzor said SDF fighters arrested four people during the campaign, claiming they belong to the Islamic State group (IS).

Clashes also broke out during the raid between SDF members and some local residents, injuring one SDF fighter.

The correspondent said those arrested were Mohammad Ali al-Mahya, who returned to the town a few days ago from Germany, Ayman Hammad al-Salbi, a former SDF member who defected about three years ago, as well as Hassan Ali al-Mahya and Abdullah Adnan al-Salbi.

The correspondent, citing sources in the town, said there is no known link between any of the detainees and IS. The sources added that Abdullah al-Salbi was arrested after he raised the Syrian flag at the al-Susah junction.

Several violations accompanied the raid campaign, according to residents who spoke to the correspondent, including the confiscation of mobile phones from a number of locals.

Airborne operation

International Coalition forces fighting terrorism, in cooperation with the SDF, carried out an airborne operation in the town of Dhiban (eastern Deir Ezzor countryside, eastern Syria) at dawn on Saturday, 3 January.

Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Deir Ezzor said the operation resulted in the arrest of four people. Two of them were identified as a man named Dahsh al-Jael and his brother, about whom no further details are known. The identities of the other two detainees were not yet clear.

A local source from the neighborhood said the detainees were taken to the al-Omar oil field base (Deir Ezzor countryside, eastern Syria), as the forces involved in the operation withdrew.

According to the correspondent, the operation lasted about two hours and focused on al-Latwah neighborhood in Dhiban. The raiding force used loudspeakers to order residents to leave their homes and head to specific points before withdrawing from the area.

The correspondent added that two Coalition helicopters participated, amid intensive aircraft activity over the area.

SDF raiding units began firing bursts of random gunfire to secure the perimeter of the operation, triggering fear and panic among local residents.

Local sources in the town told the correspondent that SDF members broke into a house in Dhiban and assaulted women inside, beating and insulting them while arresting one of the wanted individuals, an incident that drew widespread condemnation among residents.