13 citizens, including children, were killed and 12 citizens were injured as a result of the attacks of the Difa al-Watani and Damascus government forces on towns and villages in the east of Deir ez-Zor Canton.

The opinion leader of the Sefa Tribe, Mihemed Tirk Suan, and the opinion leader of the El Efadla Tribe, Şêx Îbrahîm El Hadi, spoke to the ANF about the attacks.

Tribes are on the side of the Autonomous Administration and SDF

Mihemed Tirk Suan said: "These attacks are being carried out by the Damascus government and Difa Al-Watani forces, but the forces carrying out the attacks introduce themselves as the army of the tribes. However, there is no such definition as the army of the tribes. This is a situation invented by these forces. The statement that the attacking forces and tribes are against the Autonomous Administration and the Democratic Syrian Forces is unacceptable. Because such a situation does not exist." The opinion leader added that the information spread by the Damascus government and Difa Al-Watani forces is distorted.

'Turkey has a finger in the attacks'

Mihemed Tirk Suan continued: "The Turkish state has a finger in the attacks carried out on Deir ez-Zor. The Turkish state acts in line with its interests. It is carrying out smear propaganda against the Autonomous Administration in the hope of eliminating the Democratic Nation project adopted by the Autonomous Administration."

Call to the people of Deir ez-Zor

Mihemed Tirk Suan made a call to the people of Deir ez-Zor, and said: "The people of Deir ez-Zor should not compromise on their insistence on the struggle. The path and goal of the peoples of Northern and Eastern Syria are one. We should not for a moment lose our support for the SDF, our self-defense force, and we should stand by the SDF. As the opinion leaders of the tribes, we will stand by our children and protect our lands, and we will not allow our territorial integrity to be torn apart."

'Our aim is providing stability'

Şêx Îbrahîm El Hadi, said: "The main goal of the tribes in the region is to ensure stability. As opinion leaders and sheikhs, we will continue to stand by the Democratic Syrian Forces and the Autonomous Administration.

We hope that the people of Northern and Eastern Syria will stand up against these attacks and defend their lands. Because everyone saw how they took the lives of 13 people with these attacks, we do not accept this and as opinion leaders and sheikhs, we stand by the Autonomous Administration and the SDF until the end."

'Unity will overcome attacks'

Sheikh Ibrahim El Hadi added: "The SDF and the Autonomous Administration represent the people of the region. Not a single day has a racist or nationalist approach been displayed.

Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians and Circassians are waging a common struggle and have built a common life in line with the brotherhood of the peoples for the sake of this struggle. The brotherhood and unity of the peoples will overcome these attacks."