Fighting escalated between Syria’s Kurdish-led forces and members of a pro-regime militia in the northeastern city of Qamishli on Friday after a local community leader was shot dead returning home from a meeting about reducing tensions in the city.
Shaykh Hayes al-Jaryan, also known as Abu Lawrence, was killed late Thursday night near his home near Qamishli airport, an area controlled by the pro-regime National Defense Force militia, according to local officials.