Syrians displaced by PYD, YPG hope to return home soon


Syrians recently displaced from the northern province of Aleppo by the Democratic Union Party (PYD)'s People's Protection Units (YPG) militia continue to voice hope that they might soon return to their homes.

In recent days, the PKK-affiliated YPG has been shelling the village of Jibrin south of Azaz, which is home to some 10,000 people.

The YPG is reportedly conducting the attacks from the Arab town of Tal Rifat and its immediate outskirts, which the group captured last year.

Some civilians have managed to flee Jibrin to safe zones set up as part of Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield launched last year with the aim of clearing northern Syria of terrorist groups.

Jibrin resident Said Nassir recently fled to a safe zone in eastern Azaz after his home was destroyed in the ongoing YPG attacks.

"We're now living in an olive grove using trees as shelter. Before, we were under attack by the [Bashar Assad] regime; now its ally, the PYD, is the aggressor," Nassir said.

"The PYD will someday pay the price for its actions in Syria," he added.

Ahmed Yasin, another displaced civilian resident of Jibrin, said the YPG continues to shell the village every evening.

"We left Jibrin and came to this place in eastern Azaz, fearing for our lives," Yasin said.

The YPG captured the predominantly Arab town of Tal Rifat from Syrian opposition groups early last year.