Syria's Rojava Kurds revolt against PYD
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A group of Syrian Kurds from the Syrian National Council (ENKS) in the town of Derik, a part of the Rojava region, revolted on Monday against the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist organization.The protesters were blocked by the PYD's armed forces, during which clashes took place and a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Syria (KDPS), Muhammed Ali Bave Nado, and a journalist were detained, Rudaw reported.The KDP-S, a part of ENSK, is known as the Syrian affiliate of Massoud Barzani's Kurdish Democratic Party in Iraq. It is also known as one of the most influential Kurdish parties in Syria.Bengin Haci Ahmed, an ENKS representative, said that PYD forces used arms during clashes and attempted to block the protesters. "Our friends wanted to change their route but this was blocked by the police and Movement for a Democratic Society (TEV-DEM) forces and they were attacked," Ahmed reportedly said.Protesters are demanding changes in the education system as well as halting mandatory military service. The PYD has proposed a curriculum for the education system and has made it mandatory for schools to follow the imposed policy.Amid the changes by the PYD, the Syrian regime closed down schools and fired teachers in the towns of Hasake and Qamishli. The Kurds in Rojava claim that such mandatory change is an opportunity for the Syrian regime and a disadvantage for them, as their children are not able to receive an education.The PYD is also being protested against in other towns throughout the Rojava region.Meanwhile, Amnesty International released a report on Oct. 12 showing human rights violations by the People's Protection Unit's (YPG) in the non-Kurdish inhabited areas under their control in northern Syria, including forced displacement and demolitions.The YPG is the armed wing of Syria's PYD, an ally of the United States-led coalition fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and affiliated with the PKK, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU.The Amnesty report said that the crimes committed by the YPG amount to war crimes and that non-Kurdish, mostly Turkmen and Arab, inhabitants of villages in the de facto autonomous Kurdish administration were forced out of their homes.Human rights organizations have also accused the YPG of committing other violations such as extrajudicial detainment, killings, and using child soldiers, despite condemnation from the international organizations.