The alliance calling itself the Democratic Forces of Syria includes the Kurdish YPG militia and Syrian Arab groups, a few of which fought alongside it in a campaign that drove Islamic State from wide areas of northern Syria this year. Of 225 buildings visible in June 2014, only 14 were still standing by June 2015. “Then they introduced the bulldozers they usually started demolishing the homes”, one was quoted as saying.
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Between July and August, Amnesty’s investigators visited 14 towns and villages in Kurdish controlled areas in northern Syria, according to the report. Earlier this year, the YPG reclaimed the Syrian-Kurdish border town of Kobani from ISIS with the support of USA airstrikes, and recently reportedly formed a coalition with other U.S.-backed rebel groups, such as the Free Syrian Army.
Richard Jones (right), stands with YPG official (left) near Syria/Turkish border in Ras al Ayn, Syria.
In other cases, residents alleged that YPG fighters had ordered them to leave, threatening them with air strikes if they failed to comply.
A US military official has told Reuters that the Syrian Arab Coalition would push down towards Raqqa, Islamic State’s de facto capital, while staying east of the Euphrates river. Besides, the watchdog called on the states supporting the Autonomous Administration to “take urgent measures to ensure that the provision of military assistance, including military co-ordination with, the Autonomous Administration is not being misused to commit violations of worldwide humanitarian law”.
In another attack, Kurdish fighters are alleged to have doused a house with petrol and set it alight while its residents were still inside. They found my father-in-law and began hitting him on his hands… “I will stay in my place”, said Bassma.
After Syrian government troops withdrew from majority-Kurdish areas in 2012, a Kurdish-led autonomous administration stepped in to fill the void. Elsewhere, for example in Abdi Koy village, a small number of Kurdish residents have also been forcibly displaced by the YPG.
Amnesty global says it spoke to Kurdish leaders who said the incidents were isolated, while the YPG says civilians were moved for their own safety.
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“The Autonomous Administration must immediately stop the unlawful demolition of civilian homes, compensate all civilians whose homes were unlawfully destroyed, cease unlawful forced displacements, and allow civilians to return and rebuild”, Fakih said.
