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Middle East Eye
3 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
US to investigate army vehicle displaying word ‘kafir' in northeast Syria
The US-led coalition in Syria has launched a formal investigation after 'unapproved symbols or language' were observed on a US military vehicle in northeast Syria, the coalition said in a statement to Middle East Eye on Friday. On Thursday, MEE reported that a US military vehicle patrolling near the city of Hasakah last weekend displayed the word "kafir" - infidel in Arabic - on its front next to a Christian cross. The term "kafir" gained global notoriety during the Syrian war, frequently used by the Islamic State (IS) and other extremist groups to justify violence against those deemed non-believers - including Muslims who did not share their ideology. Local residents described the graffiti as "offensive" and a 'provocation', particularly as IS no longer has a presence in the region. "Markings of this nature violate U.S. Department of Defense policy," the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) said in a written statement. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "CJTF-OIR has initiated a formal inquiry and will implement appropriate disciplinary measures under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. "This incident does not reflect the professionalism of our personnel or our respect for the Syrian people. While fact-finding is underway, our mission remains unchanged, enabling the enduring defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq." The CJTF-OIR began operations in October 2014 as the US-led coalition to defeat IS in Syria and Iraq. Earlier this week, the US special envoy to Syria announced that the United States would reduce its military presence in the country, scaling down from eight bases to three in Hasakah. Speaking to MEE, Jihan, a 34-year-old Kurdish woman, said it was hard to discern the intended message behind the markings. 'We have nothing to do with IS, we don't consider Americans to be kuffar [plural of kafir], and even less so the Christians who have always lived in Syria," she said. There are currently an estimated 2,000 American troops in Syria, with the number expected to be halved in the coming months.
Middle East Eye
4 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
US army vehicle displaying word ‘kafir' in northeast Syria seen as ‘provocation'
Residents in northeastern Syria have described a US military vehicle patrolling the area and displaying the word "kafir" - infidel in Arabic - on its front as "offensive" and a "provocation". Middle East Eye observed the vehicle, which also displayed a Christian cross, on the morning of 31 May near the city of Hasakah, as part of a convoy of around a dozen armoured vehicles bearing the American flag. Shortly afterwards, US soldiers stopped the car carrying the MEE team and demanded they stop photographing the convoy, offering no explanation or justification. The word "kafir" gained global notoriety through its frequent use by the Islamic State (IS) and other extremist groups during the Syrian civil war, where it was used to justify violence against those IS deemed non-believers - including Muslims who did not share their ideology. Nevertheless, residents interpreted the display of the word "kafir" as the soldiers deliberately self-identifying as infidels, to make a statement to the local population - despite the fact that IS no longer has a presence in the region. 'It's a provocation. We have nothing to do with IS, we don't consider Americans to be kuffar [plural of kafir], and even less so the Christians who have always lived in Syria," Jihan, a 34-year-old Kurdish woman, told MEE. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters 'It's so stupid that it's hard to even analyse the message behind it.' Mohammed, 42, said, "Unfortunately, it reflects the hatred Muslims have faced from Americans since 9/11, and the way they perceive us." US to reduce military presence It remains unclear whether the graffiti was painted during the period when IS still controlled large parts of Syria, or, as some interviewees suggested, by young Syrians, with or without the approval of American soldiers, "just to provoke the extremists". MEE reached out to the US administration for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication. The graffiti echoes the controversy sparked in March by a tattoo on the bicep of US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, featuring the word "kafir" beneath a slogan associated with the Crusades. The tattoo was widely criticised as Islamophobic. US rebuffed Israeli demands to keep more US troops in northeast Syria, sources say Read More » On Tuesday, Thomas Barrack, the US special envoy to Syria, announced that the United States would reduce its military presence in the country, scaling down from eight bases to three, with the final goal of maintaining only one base, in the Hasakah region. 'What I can assure you is that our current Syria policy will not be close to the Syria policy of the last 100 years because none of these have worked,' Barrack said. There are currently an estimated 2,000 American troops in Syria, deployed to support the fight against IS. That number is expected to be halved. Residents interviewed by MEE reported that numerous US vehicles have already departed from the Deir Ezzor and Rmeilan military bases, reportedly heading towards Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
