Media and Relations Office of the Democratic Union Party (PYD)
Briefing News and Activities in Western Kurdistan and Syria, 11- 22 December 2012
The Supreme Kurdish Council: the Syrian national coalition should show a clear stance on the situation in Serê Kaniyê. According to a statement issued by the Supreme Kurdish Council to the public opinion and media that condemns the massacre of Aqrab village in the Hama countryside, the Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood, Aleppo massacre and the funeral attack on Efrin’s Road. The statement demonstrated a clear stance on these crimes and asking the Syrian National Coalition of the revolution and opposition forces to declare its stand towards the attacks of salafiest on Sere Kaniye.
Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM): All region components should integrate its power and efforts to prove their existence
Qamishlo- Democratic Society Movement TEV-DEM has issued a statement to the public opinion and media indicating that the attack on Serê Kaniyê city and all the looting occurred by the armed mercenaries groups. It called on all components of the region to integrate their liveliness to protect their existence and furthermore it greeted the resistance of the People Protection Units (YPG), assuring its support to it. The people in the region have been encouraged to facilitate their own region affairs by forming a shared management.
Kurdish parties and organizations in Norway are calling foreign affairs ministry for urgent action
Oslo- Kurdish political parties and organizations issued an urgent call for the foreign Norwegian ministry, asking it to put pressure on the Turkish government to stop its support for Jihadist and Salafiest organizations which attacking civilian in Kurdish area. Furthermore the call demanded that they stop opening its borders for these groups, which is permitting them to enter into the Kurdish areas. It also called on Turkey to stop giving such groups the weapons and money to fire up a war I the Kurdish area, indicating that the Kurdish area could sustain the peaceful direction of the its revolution against the Syrian regime, which has been the case for the last two years.
Meeting between Democratic Union Party (PYD) and Rasti Kurdish Democratic Movement in Syria:
Qamishlo – PYD and Rasti Movement have held a meeting today at the PYD office in Qamishlo,
Both parties agreed that the Syrian revolution should get back to its democratic peaceful track, because it is the only guarantee for freedom for all the people of Syria. Both parties agreed to coordinate, hold a shared meeting and work together in the near future to serve the Kurdish case and the Syrian revolution.
Rasti movement: We strongly condemn the barbaric attacks in Serê Kaniyê
As TEV DEM, the Rasti movment also condemns the barbaric attacks against Serê Kaniyê city and it called on the armed groups to leave the city so that the people could again live a civil life. It also asked The National Coalition and the free Syrian army leaderships to show a clear stance towards the Serê Kaniyê attacks. The Rasti movement asked the armed groups to leave Serê Kaniyê, they called on the people of Alhassak to resist all criminal groups and to prevent them from entering the Kurdish areas. The National Kurdish Council was encouraged to take an urgent action and a responsible attitude to support our brothers in Serê Kaniyê.
Meeting between PYD and Democratic Kurdish Party in Qamishlo
Qamishlo – The meeting was chaired by Ms Asia Abdullah,the co-president of PYD and Mr Jamal Sheikh Baqi, Democratic Kurdish party secretary, in addition many members of both parties attended. The meeting went through the political development and the sensitive process which Syria and western Kurdistan is going through by conspiracies and systematic violence and siege. Both sides showed their willingness and care for shared work, cooperation and coordination in service and security of the region.
Joining campaign of the Revolutionary Youth Movement to the People Protection Units (YPG)
• 50 members in Amude joined YPG.
• 30 members are joining YPG in Teltamer.
• 120 members in Aleppo are joining.
• 15 members in Qamishlo joined YPG.
Shelling and Clashes took place agin in Serê Kaniyê and 5 civil Kurds wounded
ANF correspondent reported that clashes started again in the Almahata district along with Turkish boarder-passage. The armed group targeted the AlHassaka roundabout using snipers. The correspondent mentioned that 5 Kurdish civilians were wounded, by snipers bullets from the armed groups. 20 battalions’ armed groups participated in these attacks and are as follow:
1. Anwar Alhaq
2. Profit Grandsons (Ahfad Alrasul).
3. Revolution council in Alraqa.
4. Alfarouq Battalion
5. Doree Aljazira Battalion
6. Sheikh Aleslam ben tamima.
7. Ali ben Talib Battalion.
8. Allahu Akbar Battalion.
9. Megada Battalion.
10. Revolution security office in Alraqa.
11. Gourabaa Alsham.
12. Alabrar Battalions.
13. Aladiat Battalion.
14. Alshadadi Battalion.
15. Ahrar Gouiran Battalion.
16. Jond Alharamin.
17. Doree Alshamal Battalion.
18. Jund Alah.
19. Jarablos and Monbej hero’s.
20. Ahrar altaoaef Battalion.
One Turkish solider dead and another wounded in Serê Kaniyê
ANF correspondent reported that a Turkish military vehicle has entered into Serê Kaniyê. The vehicle, containing 7 soldiers was fired at and one Turkish solider was killed and another was wounded.
– Armed groups in Serê Kaniyê kidnapped Kurdish civilians.
– Syrian regime Helicopter bombed Alsafeh and Geremir Villages.
– YPG is visiting few Arabs villages in Serê Kaniyê to meet with its local leaders. This step was taken after some members of the armed groups entered these villages.
– Local leaders of some armed groups are begging the pardon of YPG and promising not to join the armed groups again. Those group have been destroying the peaceful life of the region for a month now.
– Hard efforts are being made in Serê Kaniyê by local leaders, TEV DEM representatives, a delegation from YPG and representatives of the armed groups, to agree upon forming a civil committee/council representing all segments of the population in Serê Kaniyê. The aim is to stop the fighting and let sere Kaniye people Manage their city.
– Armed groups are releasing arrested people in Serê Kaniyê as an initial gesture for the agreement. An ANF correspondent is assuring that civilians started to come back to Serê Kaniyê after this agreement.
Siege on Kurdish areas
A group related to the free army is taking 13 fuel transportations (diesel and benzene) from its destination in Alhasaka and they are applying the same tactics on lorries, loaded by food and flour as well, which may cause a big crisis for the people.
When South Kurdistan authorities are going to open the passage?
Gerkelage – the border between Western Kurdistan and South Kurdistan has been closed by the authorities of Kurdistan Regional Government. The border closure coincided with the entry of the Armed Groups through Turkey into Serê Kaniyê and the extreme economic pressure still applied on the Kurdish people of Western Kurdistan, a pressure which is accumulating day by day. The economic siege started with the closing Tul Abyad and Nusaibin gates by Turkish Government since the beginning of the Syrian revolution. The armed group has blocked the link from Kurdish areas to other parts of Syria and the authorities of southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) are applying the same policy for unknown reasons. The Supreme Kurdish Council held few meetings with Kurdistan regional Government who showed the readiness to present the help in this issue and to open the passages but unfortunately nothing has been applied so far and the daily suffering of our people is increasing day after day.
Shortages of candles after the power supply crisis in Efrin area
Efrin: As a part of the Syrian Regime’s punishment against the northern Syria, they have enforced a sanction against wax substances which is used for lighting houses and shops.
Services and educating activities:
The opening of the second group of Policing (Al Asayish) in Derek
Yesterday evening, in Sharky Village adjacent to Derka Hamko, the second batch of Al Asayish started its training in the Al Asayish Academy. They received about 45 candidates and it is worth mentioning that this batch included women participation and some members of the Democratic progressive party. The training will include special tactics for Al Asayish, moral conduct of Al Asayish and how to deal with the civil society.
The preparation to re-open the bakery of Serê Kaniyê
YPG is trying to re-open the bakery in order to ensure the basic materials to produce bread and to protect the building from further attacks by armed groups. They succeeded in starting the power supply again after it was damaged deliberately by the armed groups.
Derek – Al Asayish arrested two groups of false currency smugglers coming from South Kurdistan.
Al Asayiesh forces in Derek city has arrested two groups of false currency smugglers who were trying to bring in false currency (100 dollar type) across the border of Western Kurdistan. Those groups have been transferred to Al Asayiesh Centre and their false currencies were destroyed. Recently Western Kurdistan Region has been exposed to a planned campaign aimed at preventing people from their simplest rights and to ruin the morals of the youth by distributing drugs in the community and also to prevent food substances into Kurdish Areas.
New group graduation of Kurdish Language Teachers in Kobani
Kobani- in the context of the campaign which was started by Kurdish language establishment and in corporation with national Kurdish students confederation in western Kurdistan, a festival is being organized at the Baqe Xedo education centre in Kobani. The aim is to distribute the certificates to the teachers and graduates who have completed their courses in Kurdish language.
An educational seminar concerning the protection against chemical materials and crude oil usage in Kobani
Kobani- due to the lack of safety measures and the war situation in Syria and the the possibility of chemical warfare by the Syrian Regime, or dangerous spread of the crude oil in the Kobani market, the health committee of the national Kurdish students confederation held an informative seminar on safety and health issues.
Popular council in Tel Aran city is offering bread for people
The popular council in Tel Aran city, in cooperation with committee of Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM), has insured seven tons of flour on daily basis for Tel Aran and Tel Hasel towns, in order to ensure bread for people, especially those who have been displaced.
Popular council in Alkalase district started a cleaning campaign
Alhasaka – Due to the accumulation of bin bags and waste in the streets, the popular council took an action for cleaning the areas. The Alhasaka municipality claimed that they could not do anything due to lack of diesel and workers.
From terror centers to learning center
Derik -Throughout the revolution we have expelled the functionaries and intelligence servicemen of the regime from our cities. We have converted all former terror centers of the regime into educational and learning centers.