Posted: 

Dawn Chatty Interviewed by Syria Deeply on Clashes Between ISIS and Bedouin Tribes

Professor Dawn Chatty has been interviewed by Syria Deeply about recent clashes between ISIS and the Bedouin tribes in eastern Syria.

In an article titled 'As ISIS Violence Worsens, Deir Ezzor's Tribes Prepare for Fight' Professor Chatty explains that previously, many of Syria's Bedouin tribes had had a 'live and let live' agreement with ISIS. They promised not to fight the extremist group as long as it respected their members. Now, after reports of brutal executions of Sheitaat tribe members by ISIS, that agreement is fraying. Professor Chatty believes that we will 'see the tribes start to gather up to fight':

"I think that ISIS's leadership is not particularly well-trained with the Bedouin...she said. "I don't think they care [if the Bedouin are well-equipped] – ISIS will control territory by terrorizing the local people. But the Bedouin are very hard to terrorize, and the Bedouin will really come back. I wouldn't be surprised to see them come back and control Raqqa. ISIS...took it over without a fight because they made agreements with local tribes in the area. But now ISIS's behavior is impacting the tribes and their economy and how they live, and they won't accept it.

Read the article.