Local media outlets reported that the militia of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) had assassinated 52 members and supporters of the Kurdish National Council since 2011. The militia committed up to 311 other violations against Kurdish dissidents, including kidnappings, arrests and torture.
The outlets pointed out that militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) were reportedly involved in the assassination operations. They published a detailed report of the names of the slain Kurdish dissidents, the most prominent of which is Meshal Tamo was assassinated in 2011.
The Kurdish National Council earlier strongly condemned the PYD’s actions, most notably the repeated detention of members of the Council and its supporters as well as the closure of its offices in the towns of Qamishli, Amouda and Malikya.
The Syrian Coalition also repeatedly condemned the actions of the PYD militia, which it described as “terrorist.” It called for an immediate halt to all types of support for the PYD militia and for preventing it from continuing with its repressive actions.
The Coalition also stressed the need to force the PYD militia to stop the forced recruitment of the young people regardless of their political affiliations.
Recent months has seen widespread protests against the PYD militia in the areas under its control. Demonstrators condemned the PYD’s repressive policies and the forced recruitment, calling for a halt to the security and military coordination with the Assad regime. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
