Syria’s Qamishli protest calls for release of detained SDF fighters

Shafaq News- Qamishli

Dozens of relatives of detained fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) gathered in northeastern Syria on Thursday, urging authorities in Damascus to release their family members and disclose the fate of those still unaccounted for.

“Government officials talk about releasing all prisoners, yet dozens of our sons remain missing or are still being held in Syrian prisons, according to fighters who have been released,” Khawla Sheikho, whose brother has been detained since the beginning of the year, told Shafaq News during the demonstration in Qamishli.

On Monday, Syrian authorities freed 28 female SDF fighters under the Jan. 30 agreement between Damascus and the SDF, bringing the total number released under the arrangement to more than 1,200, stated Ahmed Al-Hilali, spokesperson for the presidential team overseeing the integration process.

Al-Hilali affirmed that the government remains committed to resolving the detainee file and facilitating the return of displaced residents, noting that some cases remain pending because they involve separate legal proceedings unrelated to SDF affiliation and are being handled through the courts.

Families staged a similar demonstration in May, accusing Damascus of moving too slowly despite ongoing coordination with the SDF. At the time, a Syrian government source told Shafaq News that efforts were underway to complete the remaining releases before Eid Al-Adha.