Daily Sabah (Turkey)

YPG secretly establishe­s cantons in Deir el-Zour

- ISTANBUL / DAILY SABAH

THE SYRIAN offshoot of the PKK terrorist group, the YPG, has secretly establishe­d cantons in Deir el-Zour by setting up so-called local administra­tions in the area, which is dominated by an Arab population but has not openly announced the cantons.

A delegation consisting of the U.S.-led coalition against Daesh held a meeting with the YPG terrorists in al-Kasra, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported yesterday, citing local sources. The meeting, attended by U.S. commanders and YPG ringleader­s, concluded that the YPG establishe­d a new structure called the “Deir el-Zour Civilian Regions Assembly,” local sources said, adding that the proposal divided Deir el-Zour into eastern, western, northern and central regions.

The eastern region consists of the area from Abu Hammam village to Baghoz, while the western region consists of residentia­l areas and the northern region consists of the area from Al Busayrahto Sur towns and from Al Busayrah to Al Tayyana.

The terrorist groups reportedly refrained from calling these regions “cantons” due to their fear of backlash from the local Arab population, the report said.

Deir el-Zour is a major trade link between Iran and Lebanon. Pipelines and

trade routes from Iraq and Jordan also pass through the province. Bordering the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, it is currently under the partial control of the YPG terrorist organizati­on.

With the help of Russia- and Iranbacked militias, the central and western parts of Deir el-Zour fell to regime forces as Daesh terrorists retreated in November 2017, and were later taken by the YPG.

Local people living in areas held by

the group have long suffered atrocities at the hands of the YPG. Numerous human rights organizati­ons have documented the YPG’s violations of human rights, including torture, recruitmen­t of child soldiers and the burning of civil buildings. The group also systematic­ally and forcefully displaced Arabs from their homes in line with their ethnic policies in traditiona­lly Arab towns.

 ??  ?? A YPG/PKK terrorist talks on his radio at a checkpoint near Omar oil field base, eastern Syria, Feb. 24, 2019.
A YPG/PKK terrorist talks on his radio at a checkpoint near Omar oil field base, eastern Syria, Feb. 24, 2019.

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