Social Media Monitor: An Arab-Kurdish conflict in Ras Al-Ain?

A photo of a paramilitary commander in the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, known under the nom de guerre Sarhad Qamishlu, who was killed in Ras Al-Ain last week – Facebook
A photo of a paramilitary commander in the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, known under the nom de guerre Sarhad Qamishlu, who was killed in Ras Al-Ain last week – Facebook

Violent clashes have been ongoing since Thursday January 17 in the city of Ras Al-Ain in Al-Hassaka province between fighters of the Free Syrian Army, FSA, who are mostly Arabs and members of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (known by the Kurdish acronym PYD). The PYD is known for its affiliation with the PKK (Kurdistan’s Workers Party), which has been fighting a separatist war against Turkey since 1978.

In a video that surfaced on YouTube a person claiming to be an FSA member appears saying that the battle in Ras Al-Ain aims to rid the city of “the PKK gangs, which are affiliated with the [Syrian] regime.” In another YouTube video, the man behind the camera claims that the FSA has provided “a safe exit for civilians who were besieged by [PYD fighters].”

There were reports that the FSA resorted to tanks in the battle:

"Breaking news: Five Free Syrian Army tanks are heading into Ras Al-Ain through the Ceylanpinar crossing on the border with Turkey to take part in the clashes with the [PYD] – eyewitnesses"
“Breaking news: Five Free Syrian Army tanks are heading into Ras Al-Ain through the Ceylanpinar crossing on the border with Turkey to take part in the clashes with the [PYD] – eyewitnesses”

Several Syrian Kurdish opposition supporters expressed their anger about the events, saying that this battle is unjustified. Others warned that it could be the start of a long, bitter conflict between Kurds and Arabs.

Activist Massoud Akko, a member of the League of Syrian Journalists who lives in Norway, wrote a comment on Facebook saying that there are other cities that need to be taken out of the regime’s control:

"Aleppo is larger than Ras Al-Ain [and so is Damascus, Idlib, Deir El-Zor, Lattakia, Tartus, Hama and Daraa ]. All of these cities are strategically more important than Ras Al-Ain. Note: The regime hasn’t fallen in any of these cities, in which there are far more shabbiha than there are in Ras Al-Ain."
“Aleppo is larger than Ras Al-Ain [and so is Damascus, Idlib, Deir El-Zor, Lattakia, Tartus, Hama and Daraa ]. All of these cities are strategically more important than Ras Al-Ain. Note: The regime hasn’t fallen in any of these cities, in which there are far more shabbiha than there are in Ras Al-Ain.”

Another Kurdish activist, Shihab Abdikeh, insinuated that Turkey is involved in this battle to weaken Syrian Kurds:

"What is happening in Serêkaniyê [the Kurdish name of Ras Al-Ain] is a regional war against the Syrian revolution in general, and particularly against the rights of the Kurdish people."
“What is happening in Serêkaniyê [the Kurdish name of Ras Al-Ain] is a regional war against the Syrian revolution in general, and particularly against the rights of the Kurdish people.”

The last exam at the University of Aleppo  

A cartoon satirizing the official narrative about the explosions at the University of Aleppo, which claimed the explosions were caused by car-bomb attacks – Facebook
A cartoon satirizing the official narrative about the explosions at the University of Aleppo, which claimed the explosions were caused by car-bomb attacks – Facebook

On the first day of official examinations in Syria, Tuesday January 15, two explosions shook the building of the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Aleppo, located in an area controlled by the regime. More than 80 people were killed and 160 others wounded, most of whom were students at the faculty.  Government media announced that the double explosion was caused by two car bombs. Opposition supporters replied to these claims, saying that the explosions resulted from an airstrike, which could only have been carried out by the regime forces.

The Syrian Revolution General Commission disseminated a report through social media that includes links to YouTube videos and written testimonies that were used to rebut the regime’s narrative about the incident.

A photo that was included in the report. The caption explains that people looked up at the time of the explosion, which shows that there was there was an airplane in the sky at that moment
A photo that was included in the report. The caption explains that people looked up at the time of the explosion, which shows that there was there was an airstrike at that moment

Journalist Samir Mtaini said it would not be surprising to know that the regime was behind the attack:

"It's not surprising that whoever bombs hospitals , bakeries and petrol stations and destroys cities, mosques and churches could bomb a university…What is happening in Syria is a shame on both the Arab and Muslim nations as well as the entire world."
“It’s not surprising that whoever bombs hospitals , bakeries and petrol stations and destroys cities, mosques and churches could bomb a university…What is happening in Syria is a shame on both the Arab and Muslim nations as well as the entire world.”

Chaoud Taha mocked the announcements about military achievements that are usually circulated through government media:

"Our brave forces launched an airstrike against the stronghold of Syrian students in the University of Aleppo, a place that these criminals have used to receive education. The airstrike resulted in killing nearly 50 students and injuring many others. Their weapons were also confiscated; they consisted of pencils, pens, notebooks as well as academic manuals. These terrorist students wanted to exterminate backwardness and despotism in the state of resistance so we deterred and got rid of them..."
“Our brave forces launched an airstrike against the stronghold of Syrian students in the University of Aleppo, a place that these criminals have used to receive education. The airstrike resulted in killing nearly 50 students and injuring many others. Their weapons were also confiscated; they consisted of pencils, pens, notebooks as well as academic manuals. These terrorist students wanted to exterminate backwardness and despotism in the state of resistance so we deterred and got rid of them…”

On Friday, January 18 there was also an explosion that hit Al-Muhafaza district in Aleppo. The Syrian television said it resulted from shelling by “terrorists”, the term officially used to designate opposition fighters.

Alaa al-Sayyid, a lawyer who lives in Aleppo and writes chronicles about the city on his Facebook page gave a different account:

"I called a friend of mine who lives near the Muhafaza roundabout and he said 'The airplane dropped its bomb in front of [our building] behind the governor's palace… and I saw the flames…'"
“I called a friend of mine who lives near the Muhafaza roundabout and he said ‘The airplane dropped its bomb in front of [our building] behind the governor’s palace… and I saw the flames…'”

Why does the West intervene in Mali and not Syria?

The military campaign that France recently against the rebels in Mali made many Syrian opposition supporters wonder why western countries have not yet intervened in Syria to topple the regime.

"Governments are not charity organizations; they don’t send their military aircraft to help the distressed, they do so to protect their interests without waiting for a [UN] Security Council resolution!!"
“Governments are not charity organizations; they don’t send their military aircraft to help the distressed, they do so to protect their interests without waiting for a [UN] Security Council resolution!!”

Activist Mustafa Al-Jarf suggested that what is happening in both Syria and Mali is part of maintaining an international balance of power in the face of Islamic movements:

"History is revealing its card fast, leaving little time for interpretation, dreams or illusion. The French intervention in Mali versus the Russian intervention in Syria; the enemy is the same and agreed upon – the same black flags and the same black turbans!"
“History is revealing its card fast, leaving little time for interpretation, dreams or illusion. The French intervention in Mali versus the Russian intervention in Syria; the enemy is the same and agreed upon – the same black flags and the same black turbans!”

Aljazeera’s Syrian talk-show presenter Faisal Qassem also noted a similarity between the events in Syria and those in Mali, accusing the West of being hypocritical in its claims about human rights violations

"Never mind the crocodile tears that the West sheds for human rights…there is no problem in having thousands of innocents killed in a battle against Islamists anywhere..."
“Never mind the crocodile tears that the West sheds for human rights…there is no problem in having thousands of innocents killed in a battle against Islamists anywhere…”

A full blackout in Damascus  

Residents of the Syrian capital saw their city entirely plunged in darkness on Sunday night.  For the first time since the start of the uprising in Syria, an eighteen-hour power cut hit upscale quarters such as Abu Rummaneh and Al-Maliki. This coincided with military clashes that were reported to have taken place some 800 meters away from the city centre.

"Activists: A full black this dawn hit Damascus Airport and all of the south districts of the Syrian capital"
“Activists: A full black this dawn hit Damascus Airport and all of the south districts of the Syrian capital”

Writer Khalid Khalifeh gave a sad description of a Damascus in the dark:

"For the first time in my life I see a city that is entirely dark. There is no light in the streets; not a single ray, distant or close, is coming from houses. Even the minarets of the Omayyad Mosque are dark and so are churches…"
“For the first time in my life I see a city that is entirely dark. There is no light in the streets; not a single ray, distant or close, is coming from houses. Even the minarets of the Omayyad Mosque are dark and so are churches…”