KURDWATCH REPORT WEST KURDISTAN / II – 2013

Raʾs al-ʿAyn: Jabhat al-Nasrah tortures captives

KURDWATCH, January 27,  2013—On January 17, 2013, several minibuses from ʿAyn alʿArab (Kobanî) were stopped by armed members of the Islamic organization Jabhat alNasrah near Raʾs alʿAyn; forty-five Kurdish passengers were kidnapped. On January 20, eight of the captives were released. On January 22, the remaining thirty-seven were released following an intervention by the FSABrigade Ahrar-alKurd from ʿAyn alʿArab. Three people came away with bullet wounds. In an interview, several of those released stated that they had been tortured.

Raʾs al-ʿAyn: FSA kidnaps numerous Kurds

KURDWATCH, January 27, 2013—During fighting with the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) People’s Defense Units (YPG) on January 16, 2013 near Raʾs alʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê), armed members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) abducted numerous Kurdish civilians and accused them of being members of the PYD. A video released on the internet shows the kidnapped victims being held in a house and interrogated by several armed people. In the course of the interrogation, they are beaten with billy clubs and kicked.

Raʾs al-ʿAyn: Fighting again between FSA an YPG

KURDWATCH, January 26, 2013—On January 6, 2013, the ceasefire [further information] between the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) People’s Defense Units (YPG) and units of the Free Syrian Army in Raʾs alʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê) was broken again. Since this time there has been continued fighting using heavy artillery. Activists report that several armed Kurdish groups are participating on the side of the Free Syrian army, including the MishʿalatTammuBrigade. Several battalions of the Islamic group Jabhat alNasrah are also fighting in the ranks of the FSA. Leading politicians of several member-parties in the Kurdish National Council for example ʿAbdulhakim Bashar’s Kurdish Democratic Party and the Kurdish Left Party in Syria – expressed their readiness to support the YPG. Members of the Kurdish Advancement Party in Syria and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party in Syria (Democratic Yekîtî) already do so. At least eleven PYGmembers and six civilians have been killed to date. Activists also report dozens of deaths on the FSA side. On January 18, the Kurdish National Council called for an end to the fighting, the release of all prisoners, and the condemnation of the attacks by the leadership of the Free Syrian Army and the National Alliance. In a statement, the Syrian National Council also called for an end to the fighting, but without taking sides.

Al Maʿbada: Fighting between YPG and Syrian military

KURDWATCH, January 24, 2013 Since January 9, 2013, members of the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) People’s Defense Units (YPG) have surrounded an oil field near Tall ʿAdas (Gir Zîro) [ten kilometers east of alMaʿbada (Girkê Legê)]. The area is being guarded by the Syrian military. On January 14, 17, and 19, fighting occurred between the two sides. Several soldiers were injured in the process, and others were taken captive by the YPG. After a meeting between representatives of the People’s Council of West Kurdistan, the Kurdish National Council, and Arab tribal leaders, the captives were released. An activist told KurdWatch, »We presume that by expelling government soldiers, the YPG wants to prevent the Free Syrian Army from having a pretense to attack or take over the oil field«.

Al-Qamihli: Demonstrators demand the end of fighting in Raʾs alʿAyn

KURDWATCH, January 24, 2013—Ongoing fighting between the Free Syrian Army and government troops in the week from January 12 to January 18, 2013 resulted again in numerous dead and injured. The fighting was concentrated in the economic center of Aleppo, the capital of Damascus, and the area around Hama and Idlib. On January 18,, demonstrators throughout the country took to the streets united under the slogan »University of the Revolution, Techniques of Martyrdom« and continued to demanded the fall of the regime. The slogan recalled the approximately ninety students who were killed in an air attack on the University of Aleppo. Supporters of the Kurdish National Council carried banners with similar content and also demanded the recognition of the rights of the Kurds and an end to the fighting in Raʾs alʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê). Supporters of the Democratic Union Party  (PYD), on the other hand, gathered under the slogan »[Court]trial for the assassins of the Kurdish women activists«. In alQamishli, one demonstration took place in each of the districts of alʿAntariyah (organized by the Biratî, Rojava, Shaykh Maʿshuq and Farhad Martyrs youth groups) and Munir Habib (organized by the Kurdish National Council), as well as at the Qasimo mosque in the western district (organized by the PYD). In ʿAmudah, three separate demonstrations took place, organized by the PYD, the Kurdish National Council, and various youth groups. In alHasakah there were two demonstrations. Two demonstrationsone organized by the PYD and the other by the Kurdish National Council—took place in each of the cities of adDarbasiyah, alQahtaniyah (Tirbesipî), and ʿAyn alʿArab (Kobanî). The Kurdish National Council’s weekly demonstrations in alMalikiyah and alMaʿbada (Girkê Legê) took place on Saturday, not on Friday. There were no protests in ʿAfrin, Raʾs alʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê), or alJawadiyah (Çil Axa), nor in the mainly Kurdish districts of Aleppo and Damascus.

 

Al-Qamishli: Kurdish National Council newly elected

KURDWATCH, January 24, 2013—On January 10 and 11, 2013, 211 National Council members participated in the alliance’s second conference in alQamishli. Representatives from a total of fifteen Kurdish parties, non-partisans, and representatives of several women and youth groups took part. As the youth groups were only allotted fifteen, rather than the previous thirty percent of the seats in the National Council, the Kurdish Youth Movement, the Movement of Revolutionary Youth, the Union of the Cooperation of Kurdish Youth in Syria, and the General Council of Kurdish Youth did not participate in the conference. These groups further accused the parties of favoring members of party-affiliated youth groups in order to create additional seats for the parties. Those gathered elected a total of 65 delegates to the Kurdish National Council; ten additional members are to be chosen from the ranks of the youth representatives at a youth conference. Thus the number of members in the Kurdish National Council will be reduced by a total of 258—from 333 to 75 people. In the closing statement, those gathered spoke out in favor of a federal, democratic Syria and confirmed the political stance they have held to date.

 

Al-Qamishli: YPG storms Yekîtî military drill ground

KURDWATCH, January 20, 2013—On January 11, 2013, armed members of the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) People’s Defense Units (YPG) stormed the military drill ground »Newroz« near ʿAli Faru (ten kilometers west of alQamishli) with vehicles. The drill ground, which belongs to the Kurdish Union Party in Syria (Yekîtî), was opened in early January. All Kurdish flags and Syrian independence flags were removed. A member of the Yekîtî told KurdWatch: »The drill ground was deserted. The YPG justified its actions to eyewitnesses by explaining that the flags would give the regime a pretense for air attacks.« In a statement, the Yekîtî condemned the actions of the YPG.

 

Al-Qamishli: PYD supporters protest the murder of three PKK women activists in Paris

KURDWATCH, January 19, 2013—Ongoing fighting between the Free Syrian Army and government troops in the week of January 5 to January 11, 2013 resulted again in numerous dead and injured. The fighting was concentrated in the financial center of Aleppo, the capital of Damascus, and the area around Hama and Idlib. On January 11, demonstrators throughout the country took to the streets united under the slogan »Refugee camps of death« and again called for the fall of the regime. Supporters of the Kurdish National Council held banners stating similar content and also demanded the recognition of the rights of the Kurds. Several youth groups used the demonstrations to criticize the organizers of the second plenary assembly of the Kurdish National Council. Supporters of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) on the other hand gathered under the slogan »Martyr Khabat Derik, leader of the YPG« [download interview]. In addition, they protested the murder of three PKK women activists in Paris. In alQamishli, one demonstration took place in each of the districts of alʿAntariyah (organized by the Biratî, Rojava, Shaykh Maʿshuq and Farhad Martyrs youth groups) and Munir Habib (organized by the Kurdish National Council) as well as at the Qasimo mosque in the western district (organized by the PYD). Three separate demonstrations took place in ʿAmudah, organized by the PYD, the Kurdish National Council, and various youth groups. There were two demonstrations in alHasakah. Two demonstrationsone organized by the PYD, the other by the Kurdish National Counciltook place in each of the cities of adDarbasiyah, alQahtaniyah (Tirbesipî), and ʿAyn alʿArab (Kobanî). The Kurdish National Council’s weekly demonstrations in alMalikiyah and alMaʿbada (Girkê Legê) took place on Saturday, not on Friday. The PYD organized a demonstration in the predominantly Kurdish district of Wadi alMashariʿ (Zorava) in Damascus. There were no protests in ʿAfrin, Raʾs alʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê), or alJawadiyah (Çil Axa), nor in the mainly Kurdish districts of Aleppo.

Al-Hasakah: Acquittal of charges of murdering a police officer

KURDWATCH, January 18, 2013—On December 13, 2012, Munzir Iskan Ahmad, Firas Jumʿa alAhmad [further information on the case], Jiwan Yusuf Yusuf [further information on the case], and Husain ʿAbdulkhaliq ʿAli were acquitted by the criminal court in alHasakah on the charge of killing a police officer. They were sentenced to six and a half years in prison pursuant to Articles 287, 267, and 305 of the criminal code. The sentences of Ahmad and alAhmad were reduced to three years due to mitigating circumstances and Amnesty Decree No. 10, dated January 15, 2012. Both were released from custody the same day. The prison terms for Yusuf und ʿAli were reduced for the same reasons, but since they have absconded, the sentence was reduced to five years only. The remainder of the sentence is still to be served.

Al-Malikiyah: YPG seeks rapprochement with Free Syrian Army

KURDWATCH, January 15, 2013—From January 1 to January 5, 2013, 336 members of the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) People’s Defense Units (YPG), as well as its affiliated organizations took part in the first plenary meeting of the YPG’s Military Committees in alMalikiyah (Dêrik). The closing statement describes the plenary meeting as a »fundamental step toward the creation of a national army for West Kurdistan«. Those assembled resolved to establish a Military General Committee and three military command centers in ʿAfrin, ʿAyn alʿArab (Kobanî), and the Jazirah, and to establish further local military committees. They emphasized »the unity of the struggle of the Syrian people« and the significance of building good relationships between the YPG and the armed forces of the Syrian opposition. Those who died in the Syrian revolution were described as martyrs and in particular the children who have been killed were described as icons of the Arab-Kurdish brotherhood. Next to its own flag, the YPG raised the Syrian independence flag, symbol of the Free Syrian Army. In recent months, members of the YPG and PYD have repeatedly kidnapped or attacked activists for displaying the independence flag at demonstrations or hanging it in party offices. The reason given for this was that the flag was the symbol of the enemies of the Kurds.