Report exposes PKK’s ethnic cleansing in Syria

The human rights violations of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)/Democratic Union Party (PYD) terrorists, including pressuring minorities, war crimes and drug trafficking, was brought to attention in the reports of watchdogs positioned in Syria. While tens of thousands of people were displaced from at least 49 settlements, it was found that on May 26, 2015 the residents of 26 towns south of al-Hasakah were forced to leave.

The PKK/PYD implements a policy of pressure and assault in areas it occupies.

In regions where different ethnic and religious elements have lived harmoniously for years but are currently PKK/PYD occupied, minority elements are not given the right to life and faith. Reports of human rights violations by the terrorist organization regarding recruiting children and women, under the pretext of mandatory military service, and forcing people from their homes were reflected in reports.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights’ (SNHR) monthly report urged the international community to step up pressure on the PYD/PKK terrorist group to halt rights abuses against local residents in parts of northern Syria currently under its control. In the SNHR January 2016 report, the U.K.-based watchdog stated that the PKK/PYD entered, then plundered settlements, conducted ethnic cleansing in locations that were devoid of Kurds, burned down houses and forced people to move.

The report stated that nine settlements were completely destroyed and residents were displaced; 19 villages were partially destroyed, and unwanted people were exiled. According to the SNHR report, tens of thousands of people were exiled from at least 49 settlements. It was also reflected in the report that on May 26, 2015 the PKK/PYD burned several villages, and gave residents 24 hours to empty the towns.

Evaluations of the Huseyniye town in the Tel Hamis countryside, where mostly Arabs reside, were also a part of the report. When compared with satellite images of the town from June 2014 and June 2015, the rate of destruction can be put at 94 percent. In one year, the number of buildings standing in the town were reduced from 225 to 14.

In order to protect its reign over the Syrian regions it controls, silence opposition and gain members, the PKK/PYD targets women and children with violence, according to the report, which states that 42 women were killed between 2011 and 2016. Of these women, Nabiya al-Salah was killed on the road between Raqqa and Tal Abayd with three bullets on Aug. 14, 2015. It was stated that PYD/YPG held 88 women under the pretext of of "compulsory military service" in regions such as Hasakah, Qamishli and Afrin between January 2014 and 2015.

It was found that 51 children were killed and 111 children were detained by the PKK/PYD between 2011 and 2015. Haytham Isa al-Shimali was shot and killed by PKK/PYD snipers in the town of Abu al-Shakhat when he was three years old on May 23, 2015.

It was also reported that Ali Ahmad al-Ahmad was shot and killed while trying to escape from PKK/PYD terrorists who tried to capture him on June 21, 2015. In the town of Amude, it was stated that the terrorists who opened fire on June 17, 2013 killed two children among the crowd.

Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20 in northwestern Syria to establish security and stability, eliminate PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG and Daesh terrorists, and save locals from their oppression and cruelty.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.