The operation of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against ISIS jihadists in Deir ez-Zor is mainly supported by the Arab tribes in the region. They have long lived under ISIS rule and lost many relatives. Some were forced to serve in the military. Now, a part of the military council of Deir ez-Zor, they participate in the operation under the auspices of the SDF, which will free the region from the ISIS.

Representatives of local tribes have told ANF that the various peoples of the region have joined forces within the SDF to cleanse their land from the ISIS. This union is not tactical in nature, but strategic, they emphasize.

The son of Necim Necris, a leader of the Shihetat tribe has been murdered by ISIS. Necris said much of the region has been freed by the SDF at the cost of a great price, stressing that they will rebuild their city once the ISIS is completely defeated.

"We have joined forces. Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs and Circassians have joined hands to rebuild our country and our cities," said Necris, adding that they can lead a free life now thanks to the security provided by the SDF.

Services for the population

Many different forces have tried to dominate the tribe which, however, did not accept that, Necris continued.

"Various forces came to the city, but we never accepted them. Now there is the SDF. We are currently living in a democratic atmosphere and trying to rebuild our city. On one hand, we try to develop agriculture and on the other we work to provide service for the population. We are doing this all together. If the region is completely liberated, we will do much better things.”

"We govern ourselves in a democratic manner"

Recalling the times under the rule of the Syrian regime and later the ISIS, Necris told the following: "We could not breathe even. Now we govern ourselves democratically. There are rights and freedoms. We could not utter a word in the past, but now we can make our demands reach across the east and north of Syria. We are trying to build our own system, administration and legal system step by step. My son fell a martyr here. We are ready to make more sacrifices for every inch of our country.”

"It only goes hand in hand"

Hisseel Eid al-Bahrouz is head of the Dileem tribe, who live near the village of Abu Kemal on the Iraqi-Syrian border. In his opinion, all the peoples of the region are in the same boat and have no choice but to join hands with each other. "To compare the present with the past equals a comparison between the earth and the sky. We want to free the entire Hajin region as quickly as possible and rebuild it together. This is not a place that Turkey or Iran have founded or are going to found. We, as the peoples of this region, will do it ourselves. We're all sitting in the same boat. If we do not work hand in hand, the boat will sink and we will all die," he said.

"Everyone should manage their own city"

Syria should not be fragmented, al-Bahrouz continues. Equally unacceptable, however, is that Syria is governed from the outside or governed in a centralized manner. According to him, the inhabitants should make a decision about the fate of each city.

"As Kurdish, Syriac or Arab peoples, and all the other peoples of Syria, we have to stand shoulder to shoulder. We certainly do not want Syria to be divided. But the people of every city must govern themselves. We do not accept an outside government or a leadership appointed by anyone. That is what we want as the democratic forces of Syria."

Joint rebuilding

Another representative of the tribe of Shihetat is Abdulbasit Ali. He recalls that ISIS has killed or displaced many people of his tribe: "We are represented as a tribe in the military council of Deir ez-Zor. Because of the jihadists, we have had to leave our homeland. Now the SDF are liberating our country and we have come back. The jihadists have cruelly repressed us. Later we started working in the civil council of Deir ez-Zor. Within our tribe communities have been founded. We are now back on our own land and working on rebuilding. This is a huge task. We have freed the region together and will now rebuild it together.”