Although early signs of progress in the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the interim governance structure—and particularly the appointment of a Kurdish figure as governor of Hasakeh—appear promising, there is still reason for caution. Tensions remain high. Arab tribes in Tal Burak and Tal Hamis reacted angrily to misleading reports that Asayish units would control these towns in the future, while the chaotic situation around Al-Hol camp since the SDF’s withdrawal in late January resulted in many camp residents leaving. Moreover, interpretations of the deal currently being implemented can differ vastly depending on the respective interlocutor. SDF figures are still talking about former SDF brigades as intact units distinct from the interim Ministry of Defense, whereas interim government and Turkish figures are describing individual integrations possibly with Turkish involvement in the vetting of former SDF members. Although expectations of any significant conflagration are still low for the time being, it increasingly appears that the integration process will be long, difficult and fraught.
Implementation of Ceasefire/Integration Agreement
As part of the ceasefire agreement, work is underway to organize the SDF into four main brigades, with one allocated to the Kobane region and three others allocated to north-east Syria. The three north-east brigades will include the Hasakeh Brigade (covering the areas of Al-Darbasiyeh and Ras al-Ain), the Qamishli Brigade (covering Amouda, Qamishli, Tal Burak and Tal Hamis) and the Al-Malikiyeh Brigade (covering the area from Al-Malikiyeh to Al-Yaroubiyeh). Statements by SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami did not clarify whether the Hasakeh Brigade would actually include the city of Hasakeh.
In a likely attempt to quell concerns about Kurdish representation, a recent presidential decree appointed Noureddin al-Issa as governor of Hasakeh, hours after he was named in state-run media outlets as just charge d’affaires in the governorate. Al-Issa is Kurdish and comes from a prominent Qamishli family; his son died fighting for the SDF against ISIS.
At the same time, the situation inside Hasakeh city is more complex and difficult to discern. It is too early to determine, for example, whether the SDF will withdraw all its forces from various fronts in and around the city, since the group also bolstered security in the city’s southern, western and eastern entrances in recent days. Meanwhile, Internal Security units remain stationed inside public buildings within Hasakeh but are not allowed to leave at present.
Politically, attempts by both sides to bolster and reassure their respective constituencies in the north-east mean tensions are still high despite the progress made in implementing the agreement so far. Media outlets affiliated with the SDF published stories last week stating that Asayish security forces would be deployed to the areas of Tal Burak and Tal Hamis in central Hasakeh province. While this appears to reflect a desire from the SDF to reassure Kurdish constituencies at the same time that the SDF’s military forces are withdrawing from various locations, the news prompted angry responses from local Arab tribal militias, who mobilized in both towns and threatened to target any incoming pro-government or SDF forces in the area. There was in fact no substantive change on the ground: pro-government and SDF military units conducted partial withdrawals but were replaced in their respective areas by Internal Security and Asayish units.
Meanwhile in Hasakeh province, US-led International Coalition forces detonated what appeared to be the last ammunition stores and equipment at their base in Al-Shaddadeh at dawn on Saturday 14th February. Internal Security units were observed entering the base afterwards, assuming control of the base the following day.
Closure of Al-Hol Camp Underway
Large numbers of Al-Hol camp residents managed to leave the facility after the SDF retreated and the camp came under the de facto control of interim authorities in late January. Over the weekend, a UNHCR statement said the agency had “observed a significant decrease in the number of residents…in recent weeks,” but did not clarify how people left the camp or how many people remained; interim authorities, meanwhile, did not respond immediately to requests for clarification from media.
The situation inside Al-Hol remains unstable and unpredictable. Evacuating Syrian families looted camp supplies and offices belonging to humanitarian organizations. In addition, dozens of remaining camp residents attacked a delegation of humanitarian workers led by UNHCR, prompting the withdrawal of all organizations from the camp. The attack appears to have been motivated by a desire from camp residents to prevent services resuming, believing that this would prolong their stay inside Al-Hol—an eventuality that the interim government itself does not want to see, based on an interim government assessment that there are no ideological ISIS hardliners left as well as the chaotic situation in the camp since the SDF’s withdrawal.
Away from Al-Hol, US forces reportedly completed extractions of ISIS members and affiliates from Syria to Iraq last week, with media reports stating that 5,700 people were transferred while approximately two thousand remained in SDF-administered prisons in the north-east. Iraq’s National Center for International Judicial Cooperation has stated that 5,704 ISIS suspects from 61 countries—but including many Syrians and Iraqis—were transferred from Syria to Iraq since late January.
