KOBANI – Sipan Hemo, the general commander of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in a statement released on Saturday wondered why Russian forces bombed their positions, which led to the injury of six fighters.

“Russia is bombing the positions of our forces. We are asking Russia to explain the reasons for their bombing our positions," he said, asking whether Assad and Russia were cooperating and allies with ISIS,” he said.



On Saturday afternoon, Russian forces struck a target east of the Euphrates River in Syria near Dayr Az Zawr, causing injuries to Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Although the Russian government denied bombing SDF forces, the US coalition and the SDF argue otherwise.



"This is not possible. Why would we bomb them?" a Russian military spokesman, Igor Konashenkov at the Hmeimim base on Syria's coast, told AFP.



The alleged bombings coincide with a statement released on Saturday by the Syrian regime and Iran-backed Shia militias, announcing an operation towards Abu Kamal to clear out the Syrian border, bringing them on a clashing course with the SDF forces.



Sipan Hemo, the commander of the People Protection Units (YPG) vowed to respond to any provocations. “Any attacks on the positions of our forces is a helping hand to the ISIS mercenaries,” he said.



The commander said they have told the Russians, the coalition and all world powers that they would liberate these areas, warning that if needed, the SDF was willing to fight back.

“Anyone who attacks, we will respond without hesitation, and we consider any attack on our forces as extending a helping hand to ISIS mercenaries to prolong their life,” he concluded.



US-supported Coalition & SDF response to attacks

The US-led coalition has also accused Russia of attacking the SDF.

“Russian munitions impacted a location known to the Russians to contain Syrian Democratic Forces and Coalition advisors. Several SDF fighters were wounded and received medical care as a result of the strike,” the US-led coalition said in a statement received by the Region.



Coalition troops advising and assisting the SDF were present but not wounded as a result of the Russian strike. "Coalition officials are available and the de-confliction line with Russia is open 24 hours per day," said Coalition commander Lt. Gen. Paul E. Funk II. "We put our full efforts into preventing unnecessary escalation among forces that share ISIS as our common enemy," said Funk.



“The Coalition and its partners remain committed to the defeat of ISIS and continued de-confliction with Russian officials. Coalition forces and partners always retain the right of self-defense”, the coalition added.



In a statement issued by the SDF itself, the Russian and Syrian air force were blamed for targeting SDF forces and injuring six of its fighters. “Our forces in the East of the Euphrates were targeted by Russian jets and the Syrian regime in the industrial zone, injuring six of our partners,” the SDF said.



“Some parties are trying to create obstacles to the progress of our forces and are trying to unsuccessfully prolong the life of Daesh [ISIS] for goals and projects that do not serve the Syrian people,” the SDF said.



“We strongly condemn this aggressive attack and call upon the aggressors to stop these attacks, which serve only terrorists and terrorism,” the SDF added.



Long Term Strategic interests of the Assad Regime



Assad's key adviser and media mouthpiece, Bouthaina Shaaban, on Friday suggested that the Government would fight the SDF to regain areas in Deir az-Zor.



“Whether it’s the Syrian Democratic Forces, or Daesh (Islamic State) or any illegitimate foreign force in the country ... we will fight and work against them so our land is freed completely from any aggressor,” she said in an interview with Hezbollah’s Al Manar TV.



“I‘m not saying this will happen tomorrow ... but this is the strategic intent,” she said Friday.



Tobias Schneider, a London-based defence analyst told the Region that the costly Assad offensive towards Deir az-Zor is to contain US influence.



“The regime considers any American presence in Syria an existential threat and will work to contain and eventually evict it,” he said. “The US is the only power it cannot easily deter through its Russian allies and that can thus force a political compromise,” he concluded.



Nicholas A. Heras, a Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) agreed that the Syrian government was not happy with the SDF-campaign.”These airstrikes show just how provocative the SDF campaign in Deir Azzour is to Damascus. Assad knows that if Coalition advisers are embedded with the SDF as it makes gains all over Deir Azzour, he won't be able to strike back because of the risk of escalation with the Americans would be high,” he said.



“Assad might try to push his luck, and hit the SDF again, but if there are American advisers with the SDF, he will be playing with fire,” he added