The PKK terrorist group’s Syrian branch YPG on Monday raided villages in Deir el-Zour province in eastern Syria to detain participants in demonstrations against the terror group, according to local sources.

The terrorist organization has rounded up some 50 Syrian citizens in the last 40 days and placed them in a prison in the countryside of Deir el-Zour, the sources told the Anadolu Agency (AA).

Since August, Arab residents of Deir el-Zour province have staged demonstrations against the YPG terrorist group to protest discrimination against the local population, as well as poor living conditions and rampant corruption in the region.

Two civilians have been killed by the YPG fire during the demonstrations so far.

Deir el-Zour is a major 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 Iran-backed militias, the central and western parts of Deir el-Zour fell to regime forces as Daesh terrorists retreated in November 2017.

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, recruiting child soldiers and burning civil buildings. The group also systematically and forcefully displaced Arabs from their homes in line with their ethnic cleansing policies in traditionally Arab towns.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) reported last week that the whereabouts of more than 3,000 Syrians who were abducted by the YPG are unknown.

The terror group arbitrarily detains people, said Fadel Abdul Ghany, head of the human rights group had said adding: "It is not specified why the detainees are held. There is no judicial process. The families are not informed. The situation is no different from the practices of the Assad regime."

Although the U.S. recognizes the PKK as a terrorist organization, it has primarily partnered with the YPG in northeastern Syria in the fight against the Daesh terrorist group. Turkey strongly opposes the YPG's presence in northern Syria, which has been a major sticking point in strained Turkey-U.S. relations. The U.S. has provided military training and thousands of truckloads of weaponry to the YPG, despite its NATO ally's security concerns.

In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.