The Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the terrorist PKK’s Syrian offshoot YPG’s attempts to subjugate local Arab tribes amid ongoing clashes in the rural areas of Syria’s eastern Deir al-Zour province.
In a statement, the ministry said the YPG/PKK’s recent move is a new manifestation of the terrorist group’s attempts to dominate Syrians, violating their human rights.
“We hope that the true colors of the PKK, seeking to cover up its aims under the pretext of a fight against Daesh, will be seen by its supporters soon,” the ministry said, referring to Western powers, including the U.S., who allied with the YPG-dominated SDF and provide financial and training support to the terrorist group.
At least 50 people were killed and 58 others injured over five days of clashes between Arab tribal fighters and the YPG/PKK in eastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Friday.
The war monitor said that 52 people, including six civilians, were killed in the fighting in Deir al-Zour.
The fatalities included 29 from the Arab tribes, 13 others from YPG/PKK and four others whose nationality was unknown, the Britain-based monitor said.
The violence erupted Sunday, a day after YPG/PKK detained the commander and several Deir al-Zour Military Council members, a group once allied with the SDF.
The SDF is dominated by the YPG, which is the Syrian wing of the PKK, recognized as a terrorist group by the U.S., Türkiye and the EU. The SDF has been the main partner of the U.S. in Syria and has driven Daesh out of the country’s north and east over the last four years.
Taking advantage of the power vacuum created by the Syrian Civil War since 2011, YPG/PKK terrorists invaded several Syrian provinces, including Deir al-Zour, with the help of Washington under the guise of SDF. The terrorists forced many locals to migrate, bringing in their militants to change the regional demographic.
However, local tribes have been fighting against the YPG/PKK’s oppressive policies, including arbitrary arrests and kidnappings. The YPG/PKK assassinated tribe leaders to yoke local groups.
After increased tension, various tribes united against YPG/PKK terrorists, asking them to hand over oil revenues to locals, release arrested tribe members and permanently leave Deir al-Zour.
While the U.S. was involved in the situation and tried to mediate between the two sides by defusing tension, the tribes rejected the call for a meeting, as they found out that the U.S. had no intention to ask the PKK/YPG to leave the province.
Source : Daily Sabah