Abu Khula, Click to see full-size image
The Turkish-backed Military Police arrested commander of the al-Sharqiyah Martyrs Gathering, who is known as Abu Kahlua, in northern Aleppo while he was on his way to join the fight against the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in northern Hama, the radical group revealed in an official statement released on May 28.
The al-Sharqiyah Martyrs Gathering was expelled from the Euphrates Shield (ES) force last year for launching a unauthorized attack on the SAA. Earlier this month, the group joined Jaysh al-Izza in the northern Hama countryside in order to resume its attacks on the army.
In its official statement, the group held the Military Police and the National Syrian Army (NSA) responsible for the arrest of Abu Kahlua and called for his immediate, unconditional release.
“We call on the sons of the eastern region [Abu Kahlua’s homeland] and all the freemen in Syria to arrange protests in all the liberated areas to call for the release of Abu Kahlua,” the group added.
A few dozens of people answered the al-Sharqiyah Martyrs Gathering’s calls and took at the streets demanding the release of Abu Khula. However, these small protests were largely ignored.
It remains unclear if Abu Khula was indeed arrested for planning to join the fight against the SAA, or simply because he disobeyed Turkey’s orders.
