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Child Killed by SDF Fire in Raqqa Sparks Widespread Solidarity and Criticism
Yesterday, Wednesday, the city of Raqqa witnessed a tragic incident involving the death of a 14-year-old boy by gunfire from the Syrian Democratic Forces "SDF," sparking a wave of widespread solidarity and condemnation on social media platforms.
According to the "Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently" campaign, the child was killed while gathering near the Sugar Factory checkpoint close to the Shneina crossroads in the northern part of the city. A member of the SDF allegedly shot him directly during a field operation aimed at clearing the area. There are reports confirming that the boy was collecting scattered wheat grains near a transport truck, which enraged activists.
In another account, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights attributed the incident to a member of the Internal Security Forces "Asayish" affiliated with the Autonomous Administration. The Observatory explained that the killing occurred because the boy refused to move away, and the shooter fired at him before fleeing the scene. Activists considered the Observatory’s version as a justification for the crime, emphasizing that the incident reflects increasing violations in areas under SDF control in the Syrian Jazira.
Syrian activists launched an online campaign on Facebook, expressing solidarity with the boy’s family and condemning what they see as ongoing violations by the Syrian Democratic Forces, using the hashtags: "Martyr of Raqqa" and "Save the Syrian Jazira."
This is the second such incident in less than a week, after the death of a child and injury of another in the town of Abu Hureirb in Deir ez-Zor countryside, when an SDF member fired at them while they were swimming in a water channel.
Activists document repeated violations by SDF and Asayish forces in their areas of influence in the Syrian Jazira, including arrests, injuries, and attacks on civilians. The latest examples include the injury of a young man on a motorcycle in Qahtaniyah and the arrest of a journalist returning from Erbil to his hometown of Amuda in Hasakah.
Activists continue to demand the implementation of the March 10 agreement between the Syrian Interim President Ahmad Issa and SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi, aimed at activating the role of government institutions in northern areas, amid fears of potential clashes erupting in the region.
