The Syrian Kurds, who have taken refuge in Turkey, are afraid of returning home because of the threats posed by the PKK-affiliated Democratic Unions Party (PYD) and voiced deep concerns over the terrorist organization's presence in Syria.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Adul Mustafa, a Syrian Kurd living in a tent city in Şanlıurfa, said, "Although the clashes have ended we cannot return home because of the terrorist PYD's presence."
"People there are going through a lot of difficulties. Children are being forced to join their ranks," he said. He added that the PKK/PYD forces people who do not back them to migrate.
Fleeing clashes between Daesh and the PYD terrorists in Syria's Ayn al-Arab (Kobane), Mustafa came to Turkey four years ago. He recalled how he left everything behind and sought refuge in Turkey.
He said during that period thousands of Syrian Kurds had come to the Turkish border and praised Turkey for opening its doors to them.
Another Kurd from Ayn al-Arab who fled to Turkey, Abdulkerim al-Kasim, said he could not return to his home in Syria because of the PKK/PYD terrorists' oppression.
Kasim said the U.S. support for a terrorist organization on the pretext of fighting another terror group did not comply with democratic practices.
"We are Kurds but we do not support the PYD because they are working to divide the country," Kasim said.
The PYD is known for its brutal actions against civilians. In November, the PKK-affiliated PYD expelled 4,000 Iraqi refugees from the al-Hawl refugee camp in eastern Syria's al-Hasakah toward Daesh-held areas of the country.
In October, a civilian activist group named "Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently," which was initially founded to report and document Daesh terror, reported that a group of PYD militants shot several civilians for protesting a ban on returning home.
In another PYD attack, at least three civilians were killed and six others injured in northern Syria's Aleppo in August. In June, four civilians were killed and 20 others were injured in an overnight attack by the PYD in Marea. In the same month, AA obtained a video showing PKK/PYD terrorists torturing civilians in northeastern Syria's Raqqa. The footage showed two terrorists beating up some tied-up civilians in Mansura, western Raqqa.
"We cannot understand some countries' support for terrorist organizations," Mustafa said, referring to the U.S.'s recent attempt to form a so-called army from among the ranks of the PYD's armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG).
"If it continues like this, the war would not come to an end," he said.
On Sunday, the U.S.-led international coalition against Daesh announced it would establish a 30,000-strong new border security force with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the U.S.-backed group, largely controlled and manned by the PYD.
Turkey has long protested the U.S. support for the PYD, while Washington has brushed off these criticisms, saying it needs the terror group's help to fight Daesh in Syria.
Rojin Murad, a teacher, said she could not return to Ayn al-Arab because of terrorists, adding that she wants neither Daesh nor the PKK/PYD in her country.
The Kurdish National Council of Syria (ENKS) in a report last April documented the human rights violations by the PYD.
According to the report, the PYD committed 311 violations against civilians, journalists, and political parties since 2014.
Most of the accusations include abduction and arrest of individuals as well as preventing social and political activities.
The report also refers to cases of torture and killing of civilians, who criticized the PYD, closing down of media outlets, abducting journalists, offending civilians, forced recruitment, and confiscation of personal or state property.
After publishing the report, almost all offices of the ENKS were shut down in Rojava while members were either arrested or expelled by the PYD.
In addition, Syrian Turkmen and the Arab Tribes Union have also criticized the U.S. attempt to form an army of PKK/PYD terrorists.
In a written statement they said, "We criticize the U.S. attempt," and urged it to overturn the wrongful decision.
"All of these are efforts to divide Syria, but we as Syrians will not allow this," the statement added.
According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW), the PYD is also using child soldiers.
Speaking to the HRW, the PYD-affiliated children under the age of 15 said they have participated in the fighting, staffed checkpoints or cleaned and prepared weapons.
The children were not allowed regular contact with their families who reported they could not reach their children.
The PYD is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.
The PKK has waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years, leading to the deaths of more than 40,000 security personnel and civilians.
ISTANBUL / DAILY SABAH WITH AA