Several demonstrations took to the streets of the villages east of the town of Manbij in rural Aleppo in parallel with a general strike by shop owners in protest over the imposition of forced recruitment by militias of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Activists said that dozens of civilians on Sunday took to the streets of the villages of Tal al-Yasti, al-Hudhud, Ayoush, and Ayn al-Nakheel. Demonstrators raised slogans and banners demanding the overthrow of the SDF-controlled Legislative Council which approved a decision by the SDF militias to impose forced recruitment on young men in the area.
Activists said the SDF militia attacked shops in the ‘covered’ market and the Salalin market, the two largest markets in the town. They pointed out that some shop owners were forced to break the strike under threat of arrest.
Activist Salim Mustafa told Smart News Network that they demonstrated to express solidarity with civilians in Manbj against the oppression and injustice being practiced by the SDF militias and their imposition of forced recruitment in the areas under their control.
Demonstrations were also staged in the towns of Jarablus and Manbij on Saturday to denounce the SDF’s decision to impose forced recruitment which was made following a meeting between the so-called Legislative Council and tribal leaders in the area.
Around 50 people gathered near Al-Ahli Hospital in the town of Azaz in northern rural Aleppo, holding signs denouncing and SDF’s decision to impose forced recruitment on Manbij residents.
SDF militias previously detained dozens of young men in the town of Ayn Al-Arab (Kobani) in northern rural Aleppo as part of the forced recruitment campaign. The militias also carried out similar arrests in the areas under their control in the provinces of Aleppo, Raqqa, and Hasaka. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department + Smart News Network)
