The Syrian Coalition condemned the assassination of Sheikh Bashir al-Faisal al-Huwaidi, leader of the Al-Afadlah tribe in the city of Raqqa on Friday (November 2).
In a press release issued on Sunday, the Coalition emphasized the importance of uncovering the circumstances of the crime as it stressed that those responsible must be held accountable, including those who ordered, planned and executed the crime.
The Coalition added that “the meetings Huwaidi held shortly before his assassination suggests that terrorist elements occupying the region are behind the crime.”
“Huwaidi was known for his early support of the revolution and the Syrian people’s demands for freedom and dignity. He was also strongly opposed to the Assad regime’s brutal crackdown of the revolution from day one. He intervened on many occasions to spare Syrian’s blood, help the local community, and urge people to show wisdom.”
The Coalition went on: “The highly rational stances took by Huwaidi, his commitment to the rights of the Syrian people, his rejection of the presence of the occupiers and terrorists in the province and their intervention in its affairs, his calls for returning the land and property to their original owners and allowing the local people to administer their towns and villages were more than enough reasons for those parties to silence him. Huwaidi’s siding with what is right and his defense of the dignity of the people pitted him against all terrorist and authoritarian parties.”
Tensions broke out between the local population of Raqqa and the militia of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) following the assassination of Huwaidi despite ISIS’s adoption of the incident. Furat Post news network published a video showing mourners expelling the joint chairwoman of the so-called Raqqa Civilian Council and SDF militiamen from the mourning ceremony. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)