Clashes broke out April 20 in neighborhoods of Qamishli, between the Asayish internal security forces affiliated with the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and the National Defense Forces, which includes fighters loyal to the Syrian government and is receiving support from Iranian militias. The fighting began after Khaled al-Hajji, an Asayish security official, was killed in an attack by members of the National Defense Forces at a military checkpoint near al-Wahda roundabout, close to the Tayy neighborhood, in southern Qamishli. The Asayish responded and targeted several National Defense Forces checkpoints in the same neighborhood, and managed to kill three members and arrest others.
Several rounds of negotiations were held in Qamishli to end the clashes between the two sides, with the presence of representatives of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Asayish, along with Syrian and Russian officers. A temporary truce was agreed upon, starting April 23 at 7 p.m. until April 24 at 10 a.m.
