In a gruesome display, the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian offshoot, the YPG, as a means to intimidate the public, paraded burnt and fragmented dead bodies of Daesh prisoners who took part in last week’s deadly clash, on the streets of Hassakeh.
In a similar practice in 2016, when the YPG terrorists displayed corpses of opposition fighters around the city on busses in Tal Rifaat, the terrorists paraded the bodies of the Daesh terrorists killed during clashes. The corpses were displayed in the Gweiran neighborhood and were then thrown around the streets, Yeni Şafak daily reported Wednesday. Most of the dead bodies were burnt and dismembered.
“They launched a wave of arrests. They have been detaining innocent civilians and have closed access to many neighborhoods. They abduct children and force them to take up arms,” journalist Samir al-Ahmed was quoted as saying. He added that the terrorists also burnt down homes and have turned life into a “living hell” for the residents of Hassakeh.
According to local sources, the YPG terrorists detained 135 civilians and looted over 50 homes and businesses.
The Jan. 20 prison break in Syria’s Hassakeh region was Daesh's most sophisticated operation yet. The militants stormed the prison to break out thousands of comrades, some of whom simultaneously rioted inside. The attackers allowed some inmates to escape, took hostages, including child detainees, and battled the YPG terrorists for a week. It was not clear how many militants managed to escape and some remain holed up in prison.
The YPG announced they had recaptured the prison last Wednesday, but mop-up operations continued.
The YPG terrorists have also carried out crackdowns against the Arab population on suspicion of being Daesh sympathizers, especially after a wave of protests against living conditions. At the same time, to ebb tensions, the YPG released detained Arabs and encouraged members of Arab tribes to join their ranks. But those steps have raised concerns over infiltration or charges of corruption, adding to the challenges.
The militants have cells extending from Baghouz in the east to rural Manbij in Aleppo province to the west, according to Rami Abdurrahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory.
"They are trying to reaffirm their presence," he said.
Eastern Syria is also fractured among several competing forces. The YPG runs most of the territory east of the Euphrates, supported by hundreds of United States troops. With its Russian and Iranian allies, the Bashar Assad regime is west of the river. The Turkey-backed opposition holds a belt along the countries' border.
Turkey considers Daesh and the YPG a great threat not only to itself but to other countries as well, particularly Syria, and if cooperation between these organizations on the ground is not terminated, it will be impossible to ensure permanent stability and security in the country.
