Fighting between Hasakah NDF and Asayish (Rojava police force) started on 16th August. As always it is unclear what ignited the fighting and both sides blame each other. Usually the clashes were small and lasted only a couple of hours to a couple of days and were quickly stopped. This time it seems to escalate.
Earlier today SAA planes bombarded Asayish/ YPG positions in Hasakah, which is a new level of violence in these clashes. This is the first time the SAA bombed Rojava and took such a big role in the reoccuring clashes. Only Sheik Maksood, the Kurdish enclave in Aleppo was bombed before by the SAA. At the moment there can’t be anything confirmed about who has the upper hand in the fighting, though loyalists reported that they are advancing.
There are conflicting reports over the involvement of Coalition airplanes. There are reports that Coalition airplanes blocked and threatened SAA planes over Hasakah to stop the bombardment. Other reports say that about eight hours after the first bombardments another round was flown and that the Coalition wasn’t in any way involved. If the involvement is true it would be extremely big news. Until now the Coalition never threatened government airplanes and all talk about no-fly zones were just words.
In an official statement the YPG accused the SAA of sabotaging SDFs fight against IS and of killing and injuring tens of civilians with artillery fire as well as bombardments. They also said that they will defend themselves which is conflicting with earlier reports about a ceasefire. There are also several reports about Hasakah residents fleeing the fighting, though no concrete numbers have come up.
Update 18th August/ 00.53 (Syrian time): Heavy fighting is still ongoing, both sides are using artillery. What is definitely more interesting is that Brett McGurk, US Special envoy for coaliation efforts and Saleh Muslim, Co-leader of PYD, have met in Sulaymaniyah to discuss the development in Hasakah.
Video of the aftermath of one airstrike.
Footage of air raid by Syrian regime planes on Hesekê. pic.twitter.com/AVzTq4jrOI
— Dr Partizan (@Dr_Partizan) August 18, 2016
Editorialized footage of the fighting from Asayish perspective
Footage of clashes in recent days between Rojava forces and pro Syrian regime forces in city of Hesekê. pic.twitter.com/FWJwcbE0uA
— Dr Partizan (@Dr_Partizan) August 18, 2016
