YPG: Turkish forces impersonating Kurdish fighters, abusing civilians

The Kurdish forces say Turkey and its rebel groups have carried out countless human rights violations, “taking advantage of the silence of the global community.”

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The General Command of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) has accused Turkish-backed forces of dressing up as YPG fighters and abusing people in Afrin.

In a statement on Saturday, the YPG Command urged the people of Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) “to be aware of such attempts by the Turkish army” who are disguising themselves in the group’s military uniforms and “abusing people, violating their rights, and looting their property.”

“The occupying Turkish army and its jihadist allies have started to smear our forces in order to abuse our people’s trust in us and to legitimate its presence and occupation in Afrin,” the statement added.

Although the Kurds lost Afrin due to an attack by Turkey and Syrian rebels on March 18, the YPG said it would continue its resistance, targeting rebel forces backed and settled by Turkey in the former Kurdish-held enclave.

“We believe that our people will not be deceived with such smearing campaigns,” the YPG stated, vowing they would “not stay silent against these dirty attempts by invaders.”

The YPG General Command said the people of Afrin “have never given up the resistance against the Turkish occupation” despite forced immigration, ethnic cleansing, looting, theft, and mass killings.

The Kurdish forces say Turkey and its rebel groups have carried out countless human rights violations, “taking advantage of the silence of the global community.” Rebels looted many houses after Turkey took control of Afrin in March.

According to the YPG, Afrin is now a “jihadist heaven” after thousands of civilians from Afrin were displaced and replaced by rebels and their families.

“The kidnapping and killing of civilians are continuing on a daily basis, in addition to the infighting between the groups,” the YPG said.

On Friday, settlers from al-Ghouta protested in Mabatli town after a local council decided to ask settlers to evacuate houses they took without permission from their original Kurdish owners, local journalist Mohammed Bilo reported.

The same day, Al-Shamiya Front arrested and beat Abu Joan, a local council member, because of the decision.

Moreover, in Jindires on Thursday, the al-Hamzat brigade imprisoned at least 16 civilians that were not released despite protests by local women.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany