Attacks and arrests… PYD gunmen attack Qamishlo sit-in

Attacks and arrests… PYD gunmen attack Qamishlo sit-in

Sep 29 2022

ARK News... An armed group affiliated with the Democratic Union Party (PYD), on Wednesday, attacked the sit-in rejecting the closure of schools and institutes and beat the protesters in front of the United Nations headquarters in the city of Qamishlo in Syrian Kurdistan.

One of the protesters reported that PYD gunmen tried to break up the sit-in by harassing children and women, beating young people, and arresting others. The focus was on school principals, activists, and media professionals.

He also pointed out that "multiple groups of PYD gunmen stormed the sit-in, as soon as the sit-in began," noting that "they tried to disperse the sit-in and end the sit-in, but they failed to do so."

He added, "After their failure to end the sit-in, the armed men beat teachers and principals, beat young men and women, harassed and intimidated children, and tore up banners that were raised to demand freedom of education and keep them away from political conflicts."

He continued, "PYD gunmen arrested a number of protesters and took them to an unknown destination," noting that "the journalist Evan Haseeb was attacked.

Officials from the People's Protection Units (YPG) had threatened the sit-in organizers by civil society and demanded that they cancel the sit-in.

An informed source said, "YPG officials warned the members of the Organizations Committee not to continue organizing the demonstration, and asked them to cancel the activity scheduled to be carried out, on Wednesday, in front of the United Nations headquarters in Qamishlo."

The source confirmed, "The members of the committee were exposed to indirect threats through the YPG's claim that there are security risks and the possibility of carrying out terrorist attacks in the region."

On Monday, civil organizations called for a sit-in in front of the United Nations headquarters in Qamishlo to cancel the decision of the PYD administration to close private schools and institutes in Syrian Kurdistan. The Kurdish National Council and the Peace and Freedom Front declared solidarity with the students and the sit-ins.

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