2 yıl önce

Syrians protest against Assad, YPG/PKK terror group in northern Syria

Protesters asked the Turkish Armed Forces and Syrian National Army to clear their lands of the terrorists.

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Demonstrators carried placards that read "Syria is free. Iran and YPG/PKK should exit!", and "We want our lands to be cleared of terrorism".

Syrians have staged a protest against the YPG/PKK terror group and the Bashar al Assad regime in the Azaz district in northern Syria, demanding their lands be cleared of terrorists.

Having been forcibly displaced from their lands by the YPG/PKK terror group in northern Syria, the people of Tel Rifaat gathered in the district centre of Azaz on Sunday.

Noting that the Assad regime and Iran-backed terror groups are hiding the terrorist group in and around Tel Rifaat, the demonstrators demanded that those groups be expelled from Syria.

They asked the Turkish Armed Forces and Syrian National Army to clear their lands of the YPG/PKK terrorists, chanting slogans against the YPG/PKK terror group, Assad regime, and Iran.

Demonstrators carried placards that read: "Tel Rifaat, occupied villages, separation gone long enough", "It’s high time for the displaced people to return to their homes".

"Syria is free. Iran and YPG/PKK should exit!", and "We want our lands to be cleared of terrorism," were also read on the placards.

Living in tents for years

Yusuf Kebso, who has been living away from his land for six years, said: "We came together today to protest against the terrorist organisation YPG/PKK and its supporters".

"We want the Turkish Armed Forces and Syrian National Army to clear our lands of terrorism".

Noting that the terror group forced them out of their homeland, he added: "The YPG/PKK has condemned us to makeshift tents. We have been living in tents for the last six years, away from our homes and workplaces".

Over the past years, the terrorist group managed to dig a network of tunnels in Tel Rifaat and surrounding villages.

The YPG/PKK terrorists occupied the area in February 2016 and forced tens of thousands of residents to leave their homes. The YPG/PKK terror group uses Tel Rifaat and surrounding villages to launch attacks in areas cleared by Türkiye.

On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country is set to clear two areas of northern Syria, near the Turkish border, of terrorist elements in a bid to eliminate the terror threat from the region.

"We are entering a new phase of our decision to establish a safe zone 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) deep south (of the Turkish-Syrian border). We are clearing Tel Rifaat and Manbij of terrorists", Erdogan said.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.