Several Arab tribes in the province of Raqqa have decided to sever their relations with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and accuse those who deal with them of treason, against the background of the assassination of one of the elders of the tribe of "Al-Afdalah" and the sheikh of the Hauwidi tribe in mysterious circumstances, accusing the intelligence of SDF those who are the key beneficiaries of this because of the positions of the assassinated Sheikh who used to reject the policy of the international coalition of giving the Kurdish militias control over the joints of the city administration.

Bashir al-Faisal, the leader of al-Huwaidi tribe was killed in Raqqa city as he was found in his own car, which was found parked near the children's hospital on Al-Basel street of Raqqa. The militias rushed through their media platforms to alert the residents to the possibility of killing him. The organization of the "Islamic State" was also accused of being involved in the assassination, where footage has been posted by the latter in which it claimed responsibility but later it cleared that it is incorrect. At the same time the SDF-led Civil Council of Raqqa issued a statement in which it announced the death of "al-Huwaidi" and claimed that he was one of its members in an attempt to remove suspicions against them, accusing the "Islamic State" organization trying to sow national conflicts in the city.

Media outlets reported the assassination of "Huwaidi," very fast by the Kurdish-dominsted SDF militias, where pictures were published as soon as he was killed and he was still bleeding from his head and the text of a story published by the Kurdish militia-run network "Rose Press" that the assassin of the Sheikh was sitting with him in the same car and he fired two shots in head out of a pistol "caliber 9 mm" and directly accusing Turkey of being behind the assassination with the aim of creating "strife between the Kurds and the Arabs."

Sudden change in the attitudes of the Arab tribes and bold decisions

The Arab tribes in the province of Raqqa have issued similar resolutions and statements announcing the boycott of the Syrian Democratic militias (SDF) until the discover of details about the assassination and the body who had carried out.

He first called "Ahmed Mahmoud Salama," one of the elders of the tribe, "Albushuban" during condolences cermony of "Huwaidi" to boycott the Kurdish-dominated militias, stressing that everyone who deals with them, whether military or civilian is traitor, "Sabkha" statement condemning the assassination and rejects the presence of one of its members in the ranks of "Syria's Democratic Forces" calling on the residents of Raqqato to unite and boycott the "militias" at all levels of social and political, considering that the lives of everyone in addition to their families became unsafe.

For its part, the clan issued a statement in support of the boycott of militias declaring their readiness to implement any decision issued by the Council of the "Tribes of Raqqa", stressing the need to return the city's decision to its locals, calling on the rest of the Arab tribes to take similar steps.

The clan of "Halisat" condemned the killing of "Huwaidi" and accused the Syrian Democratic militias directly to be involved in the assassination, calling for a group of tribes of Raqqa to confront the killers.

The al-Aujil and al-Boasaf tribes also issued separate statements in whichthey offered condolences to al-Huwaidi and held accountable the Syrian Democratic militias saying that it took full responsibility, demanding that the perpetrators shoul be found and those involved in the assassination have to be brought to trial.

The response came directly from the tribesmen where they expelled the leaders of the militias after their arrival to participate in the funeral, headed by "Laila Mustafa," the joint president of the so-called the Civil Council of Raqqa , and also beat the Kurdish militiamen and forced them to remove their barriers deployed from the "Bab Baghdad" inside Raqqa city to the village of "Al-Samra" in its eastern suburbs.

Events that preceded the assassination

Sheikh al-Huwaidi was known for his positions as rejecting the policy of the international coalition and the Kurdish protection militias in Raqqa. He repeatedly called for changes. However, ignoring this prompted him to seek months ago to formulate a political facade for the city and to give the only Arab faction in the region a role in maintaining security, which gave the Kurdish militia the pretext for launching a military campaign against the faction and disband it, arresting its leaders and elements under the pretext of operating against them.

According to the information leaked by activists from the city of Raqqa that Turkish parties sought before the assassination to communicate with "Sheikh al-Huwaidi" in order to coordinate with him in preparation for what appears to prepare the ground for any military operation expected to the east of the Euphrates, likely that the militias decided to kill him before the Arab tribes turned against them.

Sources close to the "Huwaidi" had revealed that he had expected several times before his death that he would be assassinated, so he was carrying a pistol constantly, noting that the fear of the clan leader was derived from his support for the "Brigade of al-Raqqa Revolutionaries" and his persistent statements rejecting the militia takeover of the city, especially as they make up only 2% of its population.

According to the sources, "Huwaidi" was a threat to the protection militias, being the sheikh of one of the largest clans of Raqqa, because of his great position in the city and his positions in favor of the Syrian revolution, noting that "Kurdish protection" postponed his assassination until the elimination of the Brigade of al-Raqqa Revolutionaries, which was the key party that would wage a war in response to the killing of the most prominent supporters, and did not rule out that the city witnessed other assassinations of some symbols of the city in the future.

"Al-Huwaidi said in one of the sessions earlier: that if he was killed, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) will be the one who did so," the activist, "Khaled Haj Saleh said while the Facebook page "Tal Abyad News" reported that the elder clan was considered by the "Syria's Democratic Forces" as a senior opponent working gainst them.

"National Coalition" and "Arab Council" explain their position on the assassination

The Arab Council on the "al-Jazira" area and the Euphrates condemned the crime of assassination, pointing out that it is a message of free blood for all, and a new dedication to the abominable act of "political assassination" and calling on "Syria's Democratic Forces" to shoulder its responsibilities as a military force and hold accountability the perpetrators whoever they are, and whatever they do.

For its part, the National Coalition of Syria asserted the need to prosecute those involved in the killing of Sheikh "Bashir Faisal Huwaidi" and punish them, pointing out that the Sheikh used to reject the repressive solution adopted by the regime since the beginning of the revolution, and worked on many occasions to avoid shedblood and help people.

It added: "The positions of this wise Syrian voice, its commitment to the rights of the Syrian people and its rejection of the existence of the occupiers and terrorists in the province, or their intervention in its affairs, and demands to return land and property to its owners and to leave the administration of cities and towns to its people and their sons as well as the dignity of the people, made all the terrorist and authoritarian parties as enemies work directly against him.

Factors that could push population to revolt against the militias

Despite the fact that a year has passed since Syria's democratic militias took control of the 80-percent of the destroyed city of Raqqa and claimed that life would return to it soon and formed the Civil Council to start the process of rehabilitating public facilities, which has received millions of dollars for this. Corruption was the hallmark of any civil institution, and the most basic needs of the population were not provided with water, electricity, communications and schools, prompting some teachers to open schools for children and two European organizations to support basic education through the opening of two schools taking in 300 children only.

In the streets of the city, the drugs are openly sold, where the militias are pumping heavily in an attempt to corrupt young people and preoccupied with the demographic change and attempt to abolish the role of the clans. Surprising the vision of young people taking to the streets and they are out of consciousness.

Raqqa has witnessed popular protests against the militias' policy of spreading corruption, imposing forced recruitment and taking home royalties. Scores of demonstrations have been recorded in recent months, most of which have been suppressed, some of them witnessed direct fire shot, resulting in injuries.

It is noteworthy that the city of Raqqa and over the past seven years have undergone several transformations, after being subject to the influence of the Syrian regime it was freed by the Free Syrian Army in 2013, and then the "Islamic State" organization seized control over the city for several years, and in 2017 the US-led International Coalition decided to restore the city through support to the Kurdish protection militias, which committed widespread violations against the people by imposing a culture of alien based on the principles of "Ocalan" leader of the PKK, which was met with popular rejection by the people of the region and the tribes, and recently Turkey began waving a military operation against the militias east of the desert like the battle of "Olive Branch" that took place in "Afrin".

Writer Editorial Board Source Nedaa Syria