Syria starts operation to end SDF siege on Al-Hasakah

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The agreement between the Syrian authorities and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on lifting the siege on Al-Hasakah and Qamishli went into effect, sources in Al-Hasakah told Al Mayadeen on Thursday.

The agreement stipulates the lifting of the siege on certain neighborhoods in Al-Hasakah and Qamishli, which had been imposed by the SDF and has lasted for more than 20 days so far.

The roads leading to neighborhoods under the control of the Syrian Arab Army will be opened under the agreement, which will allow Damascus to deliver basic humanitarian supplies, namely fuel and flour in the coming hours.

"The agreement was reached due to joint Syrian-Russian efforts that resulted in positive solutions, and the affairs will go back to normal and as it was prior to the siege," the sources reported.

Al-Hasakah governor Ghassan Halim Khalil had told Al Mayadeen earlier today, "The coming hours will see measures taken to lift the siege on the neighborhoods of Al-Hasakah and Qamishli, which will include the delivery of foodstuffs, flour, and fuel, in addition to opening roads to facilitate commuting for civilians."

SDF had imposed a siege on Al-Hasakah and Qamishli almost three weeks ago, which prevented basic supplies from making it to the cities and lead to the closure of state-owned and private bakeries. The siege also lead to the closure of roads linking the SDF-controlled areas to those controlled by the Syrian state.

Hundreds of people took to the streets to protest against the unjust siege on the two cities, calling on the Russians to pressure the Turkish army to ensure that the water crisis does not happen again after some problems affected the water network.