Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Violent clashes between clans in Haskah Syria | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Damascus, Asharq Al-Awsat- Syrian sources have told Asharq Al-Awsat that violent clashes took place yesterday in the city of Haskah, northeast of the country near the Turkish and Iraqi borders. The clashes between the Shamar and Al-Jabour clans left one member of the Al-Jabour clan dead. He was identified as Mohamed Abdel Aziz Al Musalat. After the killing, large groups of men said to in the thousands from the Al-Jabour clan attacked the Shamar by setting fire to their residents within the city of Haskah. Sources reported that the attacks forced security forces to evacuate members of the Shamar clan from the city out of fear of further outbreaks of violence.

Approximately three thousand members of the Syrian security forces were employed to deport the Shamar clan to the city of Kamishli. However, conflicts broke out between the security forces and members of the Al-Jabour clan that resulted in the use of tear-gas and an exchange of gunfire. The clash continued for four hours.

There have been no reports revealing the number of casualties and the cost of the damage caused by the clashes. The sources have however stated that the situation is very intense in Haskah and that there are fears that the fighting may extend to Kamishli. The sources further reported that Mohamed Daham Abdel Aziz Al-Musalat, the leader of the banned political party Al-Nahdah in Syria, is the cousin of the murdered victim of the clashes between the two tribes.

Previous conflicts between the two clans have led to the deaths and injuries of several people.