ERBIL () - Mazloum Abdi, an adviser to the Syrian presidency and former commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, arrived in Kobani on Saturday as authorities sought to calm tensions following a deadly prison fire and unrest linked to the killing of Kurdish fighter Sami Sheikhmous Hasso.
correspondent Akram Saleh, reporting from Qamishlo, said Abdi had arrived in the city as a large security force was deployed across Kobani and residents were urged to remain in their homes.
Saleh said Abdi's presence was expected to help ease tensions because of his standing among residents and his current role as an adviser to the Syrian presidency.
His arrival follows a prison fire that reported had left eight inmates dead and 17 others injured, some with severe burns or smoke inhalation.
According to Saleh's earlier reporting, nine prisoners set fire to blankets, mattresses and furniture inside the Kobani Internal Security detention facility while protesting an order to transfer them to a prison in Aleppo.
The prisoners and members of the Asayish reportedly opposed the transfer because of fears of mistreatment after arrival in Aleppo.
reported that unrest had already been building in Kobani before the prison fire.
Protesters had attacked the city's General Security headquarters, prompting security forces to use stun grenades, tear gas and live ammunition fired into the air, according to Saleh.
Around 26 to 27 young men were arrested during the disturbances and taken to the detention facility.
Internal security authorities later decided to release detainees in an effort to reduce tensions, while officials from Kobani and Aleppo held discussions aimed at restoring calm.
The unrest followed the killing of Sami Sheikhmous Hasso, also known as Sipan, a Kurdish fighter who had served with the Hasakah Brigade.
Read More: Why Did Kobani Prisoners Choose Fire Over Transfer to Aleppo?
Hasakah Internal Security Forces said Hasso's body was found near the village of Hilu after an investigation into his abduction.
Preliminary examination indicated that he had been shot several times at close range.
Security authorities said a main suspect, identified only by the initials M.A., had been identified and that efforts were underway to arrest him.
Hasakah Governor Noureddin Ahmed condemned the killing and ordered security and judicial authorities to pursue everyone involved.
Syrian Deputy Defense Minister Sipan Hamo also described the killing as a "brutal crime,"while urging residents to exercise restraint and warning against rhetoric that could deepen tensions.
Saleh reported that protests following Hasso's killing spread to Hasakah, Qamishlo, Girke Lege, Amuda, Derbassiyeh and Kobani.
Demonstrations in Qamishlo and Hasakah remained peaceful, he said, while Kobani experienced the most serious unrest.
Adnan Bozan, head of the Kobani Local Council of the Kurdish National Council in Syria, told that Hasso's killing was deeply painful but warned against retaliatory attacks on Syrian government institutions.
"We condemn the killing of Sipan Hamo and also we do not want Kurds to take their revenge on Syrian government apparatuses,"Bozan said.
He added that the escalating situation in Kobani was damaging to all sides and would benefit no one.
Bozan called on Syrian authorities to hold accountable anyone seeking to disturb civilian life or social peace, including officials or online actors who incite violence or racism.
Statements from security authorities and local officials have similarly called for calm and warned against ethnic tensions between Kurdish and Arab communities.
With negotiations continuing and security forces deployed across the city, Abdi's arrival comes at a critical moment as authorities attempt to prevent further violence and restore stability in Kobani.
This article was updated on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, at 11:49am.
