The Obama administration adopted the PKK as a parter in 2016 to fight against ISIS by ignoring Turkish opposition and demands to do it together with the USA. After the persistent opposition of Turkey against the PKK, they named the PKK in Syria as PYD and claimed that they are different the PKK and later added some Arab fighters by naming it Syrian Democratic Forces (SDG) to show its difference from the PYD. Among others, the Deirezzor Military Council was among these non-Kurdish militias around the Deirezzor area.

After many years together, the relations grew tenser (الإحتقان) between the PKK militias and so-called administrations after they were removed from most of the northwestern Syria through Turkish operations and weakened in northern Iraq. In the meantime the PKK style rule and its repressive dealing with local people intensified and bothered the Arab communities, including in Deirezzor. During the last the STG militias arrested the Ahmed al Khoubail known as Abu Khawla after they called him for consultations. This sparked huge protests between the PSD forces and Arab tribes in Deirezzour and spread to other areas under the PKK rule with US supervision. This proves that the الإحتقان is more widespread than Abu Khawla and Deirezzor.

The causes of congestion in the SDG ruled areas are repression exerted on Arab communities, continuing corruption, shortage of health and municipal services, the imposition of the communist ideology in education and compulsory military recruitment of Arab youth. The Arab youth do not want to be part of the SDG militias against any Turkish operations. SDG is trying to exert more control on Arab tribes and Arab militias including the لواء ثوار الرقة and the Military Council of Deirezzor. The military council was trying establish direct relations with the USA and the West, annoying the PKK. There are other external reasons that will be discussed below.

The latest clashes signify a significant turning point for the areas under the PYD control in Northern Syria. Turkey watches the developments there very closely as it insists on removing the PKK related groups from its borders and plans military operations. The USA and Russia keep supporting the PYD in Syria while they pledged that the PKK presence will go away from there but it did not happen, especially in Munbij. The developments supports Turkish claims that SDG is and extension of the PKK that wants to dominate the Arab areas with its cadres and ideology. Of course, Turkey will not be relaxed after the end of PKK’s presence and activities in Syria and Iraq.

However, the new tension between the PKK and the Arabs in Northern Syria came in an interesting time with regional and international changes. The latest is the increasing US military activism around the Iraq-Syria border. There is no open statement about that but many suspect (including the former Iraqi prime minister Maliki) about closing the border to Iran and its proxies to take control of the Assad regime. There were also rumors that the SDG refused to be part of the military operation that might require fighting against Iran-affiliated militias. Therefore, it is expected that the USA is now more willing to establish Arab dominated fighting force, bothering the SDG leadership in the region.

On the hand, Iran is happy to see the skirmishes among the opponents of the Assad regime, i.e.  the SDG and Sunni Arabs. Iran also knows that the conflicts will hurt American plans to limit Iranian influence, especially after it sided with Russia in the Ukraine war. Another benefit for Iran is to regain the sympathy and the trust of Sunni Arabs after it damaged them in Syria and Iraq. Like Russia, Iran is happy to see the weakening any Syrian groups that oppose the Assad regime. Russia even attacked other Arab tribes that were going to fight against SDG in Deirezzor. Both Russia and Iran do not want a change in the Syrian Status quo against their plans. Therefore, the outcome of the clashes between SDG and Arab tribes carries to have serious implications for the future of the PKK and Iran in Syria.