Qamishli clashes (April 2016)

Qamishli clashes (April 2016)
Part of the Rojava conflict and the Syrian Civil War

Asayish forces during the clashes
Date20–22 April 2016
(2 days)
LocationAl-Qamishli, al-Hasakah Governorate, Syria
Result

Ceasefire[1]

  • Kurdish forces captured a bakery[2] and a prison[3]
  • Pro-government forces captured 2 checkpoints, a hospital, and a stadium[4]
Belligerents

Rojava Rojava

Syria Syrian Arab Republic[7]

Commanders and leaders
Rojava Heval Redur[10]
(Asayish commander)		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
16 killed[11] 22–31 killed,[12][1] 80–102 captured[12][10]
17–23 civilians killed[12]

The Qamishli clashes (April 2016) are urban clashes between paramilitary police of the Asayish and the pro-government National Defence Forces in the city of al-Qamishli, Syria.

Timeline

On 20 April 2016, National Defence Forces militias attacked an Asayish patrol when Kurdish police failed to stop at a government checkpoint inside the al-Qamishli District.[13] According to Kurdish sources the NDF killed 2 Asayish members and 2 civilians with sniper fire.[5] Additional clashes then escalated between the two factions, with Asayish SWAT forces taking part in the fighting, killing 8 NDF members and arresting others.

The next day, the Asayish encircled government forces in the center of the city, taking over a bakery and a prison, with five Asayish fighters being killed.[3] 45 NDF militiamen allegedly surrendered and several civilians were killed. During the battle Asayish forces removed a poster of Bashar al-Assad in captured areas.[2] In response, the Syrian Army shelled the prison and surrounding areas with mortars, killing 4 civilians in the nearby neighborhoods. On the same day, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed a car bomb attack that killed and wounded 15 Kurdish fighters in the city.[8] In the evening, the NDF and Sootoro reversed some of Asayish's gains and captured two checkpoints, a stadium, and a hospital in the city.[4][14]

An indefinite ceasefire was declared on 22 April.[1][15]

Aftermath

Nearly two dozen of the captured pro-government fighters were subsequently released under the terms of the ceasefire on 25 April.[16]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Regime, Kurds agree to indefinite truce in northeast Syria city". Mail Online. 22 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Two days of bloodshed in Qamishli as Kurds battle regime forces". Syria:direct. 21 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Battle between Syrian government, Kurdish force kills 26: Kurdish official". Reuters. 21 April 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Government, Assyrian forces capture more territory from Kurdish troops in Qamishli". Al-Masdar News. 22 April 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 "Clashes erupt between Syrian regime and Kurdish forces in Qamishli". ARA News. 20 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "Ceasefire declared in Qamishlo". Firat News Agency. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "From the Frontlines of Assad’s Strike on the Kurds". The Daily Beast. 22 April 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Syrian regime forces bomb Kurdish city of Qamishli amid raging clashes". ARA News. 22 April 2016.
  9. ↑ "50 NDF soldiers surrender to Kurds in Qamishli as clashes enter day three". Al-Masdar News. 22 April 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Ceasefire reached between Kurds and Assad regime following heavy clashes in Qamislo".ARA News. 23 April 2016.
  11. ↑ 89 قضوا أمس بينهم 27 عنصراً من قوات النظام والمسلحين الموالين لها، و31 استشهدوا جراء قصف جوي وسقوط قذائف وطلقات نارية وانفجارات وتحت التعذيب وظروف أخرى
  12. 1 2 3 Kurdish forces to keep territory taken from Syrian govt forces under Qamishli truce
  13. ↑ "Clashes erupt between Syrian government and Kurdish forces in Qamishli". Al-Masdar News. 20 April 2016.
  14. ↑ jack. "Silence in al-Qamishli after violent clashes". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights.
  15. ↑ Leith Fadel (22 April 2016). "Breaking: Government, Kurdish leadership declare truce in Qamishli". Al-Masdar News.
  16. ↑ "Kurdish, government forces exchange prisoners in Qamishli". Al-Masdar News. 25 April 2016.
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