PYD/PKK ‘forcing’ civilians to take up arms in Syria

The PYD/PKK terrorist group are forcing civilians to take up arms in Syria, a Syrian man who took refuge in Turkey, told Anadolu Agency.

45-year-old Ali al-Salci is just one of the thousands of people, who were subjected to persecution by PYD/PKK terrorist group in Syria.

“PYD/PKK terrorists have seized my house and money and we had to escape [...] but my relatives are still living there,” Salci told.

Salci, together with eight children and his wife, fled persecution of PYD/PKK in the eastern Syrian province of Deir-Ez Zor to reach Turkey four years ago.

“They raped many women,” he said. “They are entering houses and want to recruit men by force. If they refuse, the terror group persecute them and send them out of the region.”

Salci and his family are living in Turkey’s southwestern Aydin province.

“We have sent abroad our nephews -- whom terror group wanted to recruit,” he said. “They [terror group] demolished the houses belonging to Arab families using bulldozers.

The Syrian man also stated that the terror group has strengthened following the U.S.’s support to the group. “If you call any group as terrorist in the world, it should be PYD/PKK.”

Hailing Turkey’s ongoing Operation Olive Branch in Syria’s northwestern region of Afrin, he said the operation should also be conducted in other regions, where the PYD/PKK terror group continues persecution.

Criticizing those, who are against Turkey’s operation in Afrin, Salci said: “The PYD/PKK tortured us, looted our properties. They cannot turn a blind eye to this.”

A total of 790 terrorists have been "neutralized" since the beginning of the Operation Olive Branch in Syria’s northwestern region of Afrin on Jan. 20, according to the Turkish General Staff.

The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on international law, UN Security Council’s decisions, self-defense rights under the UN charter and respect to Syria's territorial integrity, it said.

The military also said the "utmost importance" was being given to not harm any civilian.

Afrin has been a major hideout for the PYD/PKK since July 2012 when the Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without putting up a fight.

Salci and his family are pleased to be received by Turkey after fleeing violence but his plan is to return to his home country.

“When my country is cleared from terrorists, we are planning to return,” he added.