Syrian government forces shell Qamishlo, killing 10 civilians

QAMISHLO, Syrian Kurdistan (Kurdistan24) - On Thursday, at least ten civilians lost their lives as the Syrian government forces shelled the Kurdish city of Qamishlo in northeast Syria. 

Kurdistan24 reporters in Qamishlo said the Syrian regime forces are bombing the city by heavy artillery. They have so far killed almost ten civilians and a few of the Kurdish security elements (Asayish) in Zaytoniyah neighborhood.

The Asayish were reinforced by the Kurdish forces of People's Protection Units (YPG) and the anti-terror units of the YPG, known as HAT.

Additionally, a YPG official told Kurdistan24 that Kurdish forces captured a regime-controlled prison in the center of the city and killed seven of the pro-Assad militias. 

The clashes broke out between Syrian government forces and the Asayish at a checkpoint earlier on Wednesday, leaving 8  regime soldiers killed and 12 arrested by the Asayish who lost three members as the fighting escalated.

Violence was continuing late on Wednesday and more than 20 members of the pro-Assad militias had been detained by the Asayish,

Qamishlo, near the Turkish border, is mostly controlled by Kurdish security forces, though pro-Assad forces still hold a few areas in the city center, and its airport.

Syrian Kurdish forces now dominate wide areas of northern Syria and set up their own government there. Syria has become a patchwork of areas controlled by the government, an array of rebel groups, Islamic State (IS) insurgents, and the Kurds.

Reporting by Hisham Arafat

Editing by Ava Homa