WEST-KURDISTAN , KURDWATCH NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY I

ʿAmudah: YPG‑members attack demonstrators

KURDWATCH, January 31, 2013—Ongoing fighting between the Free Syrian Army and government troops in the week from January 19 to 25, 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 Homs and Idlib. On January 25, demonstrators throughout the country took to the streets united under the slogan »Our eternal leader is our Lord [the prophet] Muhammad« and continued to demand the fall of the regime.

Supporters of the Kurdish National Council distanced themselves from this slogan and demanded, as in previous weeks, the recognition of the rights of the Kurds and an end to the fighting in Raʾs al‑ʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê). Supporters of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), on the other hand, gathered under the slogan »The Martyrs of Serê Kaniyê«.

In al‑Qamishli, one demonstration took place in each of the districts of al‑ʿAntariyah (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. A group of approximately twenty YPG‑people attacked the demonstration by the youth groups in ʿAmudah; no one was injured. There were two demonstrations in al‑Hasakah. Two demonstrations—one organized by the PYD, the other by the Kurdish National Council—also took place in both al‑Qahtaniyah (Tirbesipî) and ʿAyn al‑ʿArab (Kobanî). The Supreme Kurdish Council organized a demonstration in ad‑Darbasiyah; the participants demanded an end to the fighting in Raʾs al‑ʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê) and the withdrawal of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Islamist groups from the city. After a prolonged interruption, the PYD once again organized a demonstration in ʿAfrin on January 24. The Kurdish National Council’s weekly demonstrations in al‑Malikiyah and al‑Maʿbada (Girkê Legê) took place on Saturday, not on Friday. There were no protests in Raʾs al‑ʿAyn or al‑Jawadiyah (Çil Axa), nor in the Kurdish districts of Aleppo and Damascus.

Al-Hasakah: Arab tribe members attack Christians

KURDWATCH, February 9, 2013—On January 28, 2013, members of several Arab tribes attacked the homes of Armenian and Assyrian Christians in ad‑Dalawiyah (twenty-five kilometers south of al‑Qamishli) and tried to steal the harvest from their fields. The Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO) demanded an end to these »foreign deeds«. In addition, twelve Syrian human-rights organizations protested against the attack on a Christian church near Aleppo and the kidnapping of Christians in al‑Hasakah province. The kidnappings are typically connected to ransom demands. Moreover, armed Islamic groups have repeatedly called upon Christian families living in al‑Hasakah to leave their villages.

Aleppo: Kurdish politician and writer fatally shot

KURDWATCH, February 7, 2013—On January 31, 2013, Kamal Mustafa Hanan (b. 1954 in ʿAfrin, married, three children) was fatally shot near his home in the mainly Kurdish district of al‑Ashrafiyah in Aleppo. Hanan was the editor-in-chief of the Kurdish language journal Newroz and a former member of the leadership of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party in Syria (Democratic Yekîtî). On February 1, the Democratic Yekîtî organized a funeral march near ʿAfrin to mark the burial. Representatives of many of the parties in the Kurdish National Council as well as representatives of the PYD took part in the burial. It is unclear if this was a targeted assassination or if Hanan was accidentally hit by a bullet.

Al-Qamishli: More demonstrations in the Kurdish regions

KURDWATCH, February 7, 2013—Ongoing fighting between the Free Syrian Army and government troops in the week from January 26 to February 1, 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 Homs and Idlib. On February 1, demonstrators throughout the country took to the streets united under the slogan »The international community is Assad’s partner in his massacres« and continued to demand the fall of the regime. As in recent weeks, supporters of the Kurdish National Council demanded the recognition of the rights of the Kurds and the withdrawal of armed groups from Raʾs al‑ʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê). Supporters of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) gathered under the slogan »The YPG is our strength, and the Supreme Kurdish Committee is our representation«. In al‑Qamishli one demonstration each took place in the districts of al‑ʿAntariyah (organized by the Biratî, Rojava, Shaykh Maʿshuq and Martyr Farhad youth groups) and Munir Habib (organized by the Kurdish National Council), as well as at 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 al‑Hasakah. Two demonstrations—one organized by the PYD and the other by the Kurdish National Council—also took place in each of the cities of ad‑Darbasiyah, al‑Qahtaniyah (Tirbesipî), and ʿAyn al‑ʿArab (Kobanî). The Kurdish National Council’s weekly demonstrations in al‑Malikiyah and al‑Maʿbada (Girkê Legê) took place on Saturday, not on Friday. There were no protests in Raʾs al‑ʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê) or al‑Jawadiyah (Çil Axa), nor in the Kurdish districts of Aleppo and Damascus.

Raʾs al-ʿAyn: Opposition wants to mediate conflict

KURDWATCH, February 5, 2013—On January 23, 2013, members of the Syrian opposition formed the »National Committee for the Protection of Social Peace and the Revolution«. The eight-member council, of which a representative of the Kurdish National Council is also a part, wants to mediate between the warring parties in Raʾs al‑ʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê) [further information] and achieve an unconditional end to the conflict.

Raʾs al-ʿAyn: FSA kidnaps Azadî members

KURDWATCH, February 3, 2013—On January 25, 2013, Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters kidnapped Hikmat Ahmad Muhammad, a leading member of Mustafa Oso’s Kurdish Freedom Party in Syria (Azadî), his son Ahmad (also an Azadî member), as well as two of their relatives, Hasan Jumʿah Muhammad and Sarbast Sultan Muhammad. According to a statement by the Azadî, the kidnappers announced that the four will not be released until FSA fighter Ahmad Kamil ar‑Rumi, who was taken by the PYD, is set free.

Al-Maʿbada: YPG gains control of oil field

KURDWATCH, February 3, 2013—On January 21, 2013, fighting ceased between the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) People’s Defense Units (YPG) and the Syrian army over the Tall ʿAdas (Gir Zîro) oil field [further information]. The Syrian army abandoned the oil field after a majority of its soldiers fled and Damascus did not send military support.

Al-Qamishli: YPG abducts Kurdish woman activist

KURDWATCH, February 1, 2013—On January 28, 2013 militants of the Democratic Union Party’s People’s Defense Units (YPG) in al‑Qamishli kidnapped the activist Sherin Ahmad (b. in al‑Qamishli, married, one child) at her place of employment. The reasons behind the abduction are not yet known. According to statements by relatives, Ahmad is being treated well.

Al-Qamishli: Attack on the commercial business of a fighter in the Mischʿal-at‑Tammu Brigade

KURDWATCH, February 1, 2013—On January 28, 2013, unknown people set fire to the business of the al‑Hilali family near the Qasimo mosque in the western district of al‑Qamishli with Molotov cocktails. The shop was completely gutted by the fire. ʿUsama al‑Hilali is a leading member of the Mishʿal-at‑Tammu Brigade, which is fighting with other armed groups against the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) People’s Protection Units [further information].