MESOP REPORT – Qamishli: PYD encircles Tal Hamis town, tensions rise with regime forces

2016-08-14 17:49:43 –  (Zaman Al Wasl)- Tension continues between Syrian regime forces and Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) resulting from arrests on both sides amid security spread of large armed groups subordinate to PYD in Tal Hamis south of Qamishli, local source said. Activist Malaz al-Yousef confirmed armed men from (PYD) called Hat or the masked men still encircle Tal Hamis town deploying temporary checkpoints in the area and imposing night curfew to raid and arrest some persons there following PYD two leaders’ assassination attempt on a checkpoint in Abu Qasayib village near Syrian National Defense (SND)-controlled areas.

Al-Yousef said the masked men militia is a sub-branch of Asayish, the armed wing of PYD, was trained by foreign officers believed to be Americans in camp in (PYD)-controlled areas north of Hasaka. he added the militia stormed Arab villages in Tal Hamis including Abu Kabir al-Husseinye, al-Naaem, Kharab al-Mahar, Om Kaheef al-Haswayie and assaulted young men in white weapon in Sharmoukh village.The activist indicated American helicopters were flying higher than usual scanning villages near Iraqi borders like Quranata, Akaaz, and Balkees in conjunction with the masked men militia’s raids on the town.

Asayish militia released a statement saying they dismantled explosives placed planted on the road connecting Tal Hamis and al-Qahtaniye at al-Taweel village August 10; adding, the explosives were cylindrical. Each weighs between 3-5 Kg prepared to explode by a wireless remote controller device. Asaysih announced first batch of Hat or masked men graduates in August 2015 and their first mission was to counter any security incidents in PYD-controlled areas including kidnapping, blasting operations and others.Hat or masked men specializes also in researching sleeping cells and protecting leaders outside and during conference, seminars and meetings. In Hasaka, tension continues between regime forces and (PYD)’s Asayish militia despite (SND) release of detainees. On the other hand, Kurdish militia refused to release regime detainees including Hasaka Directory of Water Manager Mahmoud Ulkeh, Hasaka Mill Manager Abdul Haleem Khalil, Silos Manager Talal Ameen and Water resources accountant Rajeh Saloumi, according to local sources.

Sources added Asayish patrol arrested a captain and 9 regime personnel during two military cars’ crossing near al-Salhiye Square east of Hasaka city and regime responded with arresting 9 Asayish personnel including a leader. The mutual arrests ended with a fast exchange of detainees between the two sides.A (PYD) armed group had abducted President of the Kurdish National Council Ibrahim Biro from the center of the city in Qamishli in Hasaka countryside on Saturday to exile him to Iraq Kurdistan region.

The Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Syrian wing of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), had announced in 2014 foundation of the Kurdish Self Administration which has its own military and security systems, courts and institutions similar to the governmental ones in three regions Ain al-Arab, Efrin and al-Jazeera Northern of Hasaka.  Many forces share controlling Hasaka province like People Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing of PYD which control the widest area of the province, while the Syrian regime control the security areas and military bases and dozens of villages around Hasaka and Qamishli, while the Islamic State controls only the town of Markada. https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/17418.html