PKK/YPG terrorists kill 10 civilians as they seek to re-occupy Syria's Deir ez-Zor province

By Gokhan Celiker

DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (AA) - Ten civilians were killed in a Monday attack by PKK/YPG terrorists trying to retake control of the Deir al-Zor provincial center in eastern Syria, from which it was expelled by Arab tribes.

On Nov. 27 the Deir ez-Zor provincial center was handed over by the Assad regime to the terrorist group PKK/YPG, but later the terror group was pushed out.

A video of the attack posted on social media by civilians shows PKK/YPG terrorists opening fire at civilians on the street from the minaret of a mosque, leaving people covered in blood.

- Importance of Deir ez-Zor

Following the encirclement of Damascus and the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government, tribal forces from Deir ez-Zor, in cooperation with groups that overthrew the regime, began pushing the terrorist PKK/YPG back along the Deir ez-Zor and Euphrates River front lines.

These forces succeeded in driving the PKK/YPG terrorists out of the provincial capital of Deir ez-Zor, as well as the Al-Bukamal and Al-Mayadin districts along the Iraq-Syria border.

Almost all of Deir ez-Zor’s territory east of the Euphrates River was under the occupation of the PKK/YPG, while the provincial center and other rural areas were under the control of the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime and Iranian-backed groups.

In a supply corridor into Syria through Iraq, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps had access to the interior of the country by continuing to the center of the Deir ez-Zor province through Al-Bukamalt.

- Terrorist PKK/YPG seeks to exploit power vacuum

In the wake of the Assad regime’s fall, the terrorist PKK/YPG is seeking to exploit the unclear security situation and power vacuum.

In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, infants, and the elderly.

The YPG is the PKK's offshoot in Syria, an area where for years the group has tried to establish a terrorist corridor along the Turkish border.

In recent years Türkiye has deployed troops and worked with local allies such as the opposition Syrian National Army to prevent this and keep locals safe from terrorist oppression.

- Developments in Syria

On Nov. 27, clashes between anti-regime armed groups and Bashar al-Assad forces intensified in Syria.

Between Nov. 30 and Dec. 7, the groups gained the upper hand in the largest provinces such as Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, and Homs.

The regime completely lost control of the capital Damascus and many other regions and collapsed after the public supported the groups that started to enter Damascus on Dec. 7.

As the Baath Party's 61-year rule came to an end, regime leader Bashar Assad fled the capital.

Separately, the Syrian National Army liberated the Tel Rifaat district center from the terrorist group PKK/YPG on the first day of Operation Dawn of Freedom, which was launched on Dec. 1.

With the liberation of Manbij in the operation, the region, which had become the largest terrorist nest west of the Euphrates River, was cleared of the terrorist PKK/YPG.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel