WEST KURDISTAN : Kurds seize control of Sari Kani

18.7.2013 – Kurdpress – The armed forces of pro- Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) seized the controle of Syrian northern Kurdish city of Sari Kani after two days of fighting with al- Qaeda- linked forces of Jibhat al- Nusra.

Speaking with Kurdpress, Anwar Muslim, a PYD official in Kobani, a Syrian Kurdish city, confirmed PYD armed forces, People’s Defense Units (YPG), have seized the control of the bordering city of Sari Kani. The clashes between the two sides ended after trading fire for three days in a row.

Naser Haji Mansour, a high- level official of PYD, known as Syrian branch of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), told Kurdpress about the fighting that 1. The Kurds have not launched the attacks first as Sari Kani was under the controle of Kurdish forces who allowed al- Qaeda fighters stay in a suburb and banned to go to other places but their Movements made us to force them out of the city 2. A large number of al- Qaeda forces killed in the clashes but they took bodies with themselves and only nine of them have remained in Sari Kani and 3. A large number of military equipments and arms were seized from al- Qaeda fighters.The PYD official further added their forces are controlling Sari Kani- Turkey border gateway, underlining that they don’t want to have any clashes with Turkey forces and have sent a delegation to Turkish officials to assure them of any events in the gateway where two Turkish citizens were killed by strayed bullets on Wednesday. Haji Mansour added to Kurdpress that they predict attacks by Free Syria Army (FSA) or any other armed group on the city and said their forces are on alert to confront any possible attacks.