AhlulBayt News Agency - The Asayish (Kurdish police) and Arab tribes from the National Defense Forces (NDF) began the first stage of their prisoner exchange in the city of Al-Qamishli on Sunday morning.
Kurdish forces released nearly two dozen government fighters from their prisons, while the latter matched the total number of Asayish personnel released.
The Asayish Spokesperson claimed that part of the ceasefire agreement was the dismantlement of the National Defense Forces in Al-Qamishli; however, this statement was called a “lie” by a Syrian government force.
Furthermore, the Kurdish forces were not able to keep control of the street blocks they captured in the government areas; except for the Allaya Prison.
The government forces were also not allowed to keep control of Kurdish neighborhoods in Al-Qamishli; this includes the Kurdish Corniche.
Kurds claimed not withdraw in captured areas in Qamishli
Kurdish officials claimed they will not withdraw from any places captured in the clashes last week with the Syrian government despite the recently reached ceasefire in the northeastern city of Qamishlo.
“The Assad forces after the Geneva peace talks not reached any positive point tried to spread their authority in Qamishlo (Qamishli),” Nasser Haji Mansur, a Kurdish official of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told Kurdish News, speaking about the clashes that started on 20 April and lasted until 23 April.
“We will not return anything. Any area is a red-line for us,” Hekem Xelo, a senior Kurdish official from the Hasakah province told about the areas captured by the Kurdish forces from the Army, such as the Alaya prison.
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