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'We were abandoned!' - Qamishli protesters slam West after 107 killed in clashes

'We were abandoned!' - Qamishli protesters slam West after 107 killed in clashes

"Hundreds gathered on Tuesday in the Syrian city of Qamishli to protest the takeover of the predominantly Kurdish neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh by forces affiliated with Syria’s transitional government, following six days of clashes. Footage shows protesters waving flags of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and holding portraits of 'Asayish' (Kurdish security forces) commander Ziad Halab, who was killed in recent clashes in Aleppo. Images of Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, as well as the Syrian and Turkish foreign ministers marked with X symbols, were also seen during the rally. Demonstrators condemned international silence over 'massacres' committed during the fighting. Local resident Salma Sheikho accused the United States and France of abandoning the Kurdish population. “They supported us to serve their own interests, but when our people were killed, they abandoned us. They must know that the Kurdish people will not crumble and will remain resilient,” she said. Both transitional government forces and the SDF have accused the other of targeting civilians, with fighting resulting in deaths, injuries and the displacement of hundreds of residents. On Sunday, the SDF commander said international mediation had led to an understanding to halt attacks and violations in Aleppo. The agreement includes a ceasefire and the evacuation of the dead, wounded, trapped civilians and fighters from Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud to northern and eastern Syria. According to reports, at least 107 people have been killed since the escalation began, including 47 civilians, among them eight women and six children, most of whom were killed in Sheikh Maqsoud. Casualties were also reported in the Al-Midan and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods, as well as allegations of field executions and the death of a child from gas suffocation. As many as 59 fighters were reportedly killed, including members of the Syrian transitional government’s Ministry of Defence and Internal Security Forces, with reports of bodies being burned and mutilated. The group added that many people remain missing amid an almost complete communications and internet blackout. The renewed fighting comes two days after officials from both sides held talks on implementing the so-called 'March Agreement', after its deadline had passed, with the meeting reportedly producing no results. On March 10, Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi signed an agreement to integrate all civil and military institutions linked to the Kurdish self-administration into the Syrian state by the end of 2025. The agreement had not been implemented at the time of publication, and sporadic clashes between the two sides have continued."