Damascus Warns SDF: Mass Arrests and "Booby-Trapped Furniture" Threaten New Ceasefire

Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra issued a stern warning to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Wednesday, stating that the wave of arbitrary arrests against civilians in Al-Hasakah puts the newly brokered ceasefire at risk of total collapse. Abu Qasra urged the SDF to immediately halt these operations and release detainees, emphasizing that such actions undermine the 4-day deadline granted for integrating Kurdish-controlled areas into the state.

Simultaneously, the Syrian Army's operations command accused the SDF and PKK of leaving behind a lethal trail of explosives in Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Aleppo. Reports indicate that mines were disguised as rocks, bricks, and even household furniture, resulting in several civilian and military casualties. The army warned residents not to enter abandoned SDF tunnels or premises, as many sites—including mosques—were allegedly booby-trapped before the Kurdish withdrawal.