TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) backed by the occupying US Army troops conducted a series of arrests in Eastern Syria on Wednesday, and abducted a large number of civilians to make them join the fight against the Syrian Army, media reports said.

The SDF has arrested or kidnapped many more Syrian citizens in areas under its control in Hasaka and Deir Ezzur provinces, the Arabic-language SANA news agency quoted local sources as saying.

The sources noted that the SDF’s measures have been taken on the pretext of fighting terrorism or with the goal of forced recruitment of soldiers by the Kurdish militia to take part in the upcoming battle against the Syrian Army.

Residents of Deir Ezzur and Hasaka have, in response, held protest rallies against the SDF’s measures and presence there.

In a relevant development earlier in September, the residents of Deir Ezzur held massive rallies against the Kurdish militias in Eastern Syria, calling for the expulsion of the SDF from the region, the Arabic-language media outlets and sources said.

The local sources in Deir Ezzur province reported that a large number of residents of al-Moizlieh and al-Azabeh in Northeastern Deir Ezzur closed the roads and protested against the SDF and the US.

The Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper reported that the civilians called on the Kurdish militia commanders to hand over the areas under their control to the indigenous population before protests spiral out of control.

The residents of Deir Ezzur also took to the streets for protest after the US Army troops attacked the town of al-Kasar in al-Basirehh region in Eastern Deir Ezzur, abducting four members of a family and transferring them to an unknown place.