Politics

Attack on humanitarian border is a violation: human rights group

"The RY's attack on the only humanitarian border crossing constitute a violation of the Autonomous Administration's constitution"

Kurdistan 24 2022/01/19 10:29

PKK members and supporters waving flags with portrait of their leader Abdullah Ocalan. (Photo: AFP)

Syria AANES KRG KNC PYD SDF PYNK SDC Revolutionary Youth Movement

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The attack on the humanitarian Faysh Khabur-Semalka border crossing in mid-December by the Revolutionary Youth Movement (RY) is a violation of the constitution of the Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria (AANES), the human rights organization Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) said in a report published on Wednesday.

"The RY's attack on the only humanitarian border crossing constitute a violation of the Autonomous Administration's constitution," STJ said. "Thereby, the Autonomous Administration must take actions to prevent such incidents from recurring and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable."

According to a press release by EU aid organization ECHO, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) closed the Faysh Khabur-Semalka border crossing in December following tensions there.

It said there were "clashes between the Revolutionary Youth Union (or Movement), the youth wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) security forces on 15 December."

In mid-December, suspected Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) supporters attacked the Faysh Khabur crossing office and severely injured several Kurdistan Region border guards.

The STJ said that the Revolutionary Youth Movement also attacked the Kurdish National Council (KNC) headquarters in the town of Ad Darbasiyah following a ceremony held by the Council celebrating the Kurdistan Flag Day on Dec. 17.

Moreover, the STJ also said the Revolutionary Youth Movement on Sept. 24 and 25 attacked a group of pro-KNC protestors assembled in front of the United Nations headquarters in the al-Siyahi neighborhood in Qamishlo to condemn price increases and the release of political prisoners.

On Dec 5, the KNC also blamed a group allegedly affiliated with the PYD for attacking the office of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, a party affiliated to the KNC, in Hasakah city on Dec 3.

The party at that time blamed the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) for failing to punish the perpetrators of such attacks on KNC offices and called on the US and humanitarian organizations to help stop them.

The KNC previously held several months of talks with its rival, the PYNK (Kurdish National Unity Parties). The PYNK is affiliated with the PYD. The PYD is also the leading component of the political wing of the SDF, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC).

However, the talks have been suspended since the US Presidential elections in November 2020 and have not resumed yet amidst growing tensions between Kurdish parties in Syrian Kurdistan and the neighboring Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

On Jan. 18, KNC-member Jindar Barakat was also kidnapped near Hasakah. He was later released.

US officials recently met with the PYD-affiliated administration and the KNC to discuss the reopening of the Faysh Khabur-Semalka border crossing and recent tensions.

The Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) said that the hostile acts of the PYD-affiliated RY "against civilians threaten domestic peace and constitute a clear violation to the Autonomous Administration's own laws."

"Therefore, the Autonomous Administration must open an investigation into the RY attacks and hold perpetrators accountable," STJ said. "In addition, the Autonomous Administration must take all necessary actions to ensure the non-recurrence of such acts."

"The Autonomous Administration would breach its positive responsibility owed to people in its areas if it did not open a transparent, public and impartial investigation in the RY attacks."