Amnesty Accuses US-Backed Syrian Kurds Of War Crimes

“The sensitive stage through which our country Syria is passing and the rapid developments on the military and political front… require a united national military force for all Syrians, including Kurds, Arabs and Syrians and all others”, the statement said.

The YPG, Kurdish Popular Protection Units, have until now consistently denied accusations of forced displacements.

Satellite images obtained by Amnesty worldwide illustrate the scale of the demolitions in Husseiniya village, in Tel Hamees countryside.

“While the majority of residents affected by these unlawful practices are Arabs and Turkmen, in a few cases, for example in the mixed town of Suluk, Kurdish residents have also been barred by the YPG and Asayish from returning to their homes”, Amnesty said, in its report. The report also included a response from a YPG spokesman, who, while acknowledging that a few civilians had been asked to vacate, said that it had been done to prevent additional casualties. It said the abuses amount to war crimes. Then they brought the bulldozers and they began demolishing the homes … The official was not authorised to brief media and so spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Syrian Kurds have followed a so-called “third path” during the conflict in Syria – neither siding with the Assad regime nor mainstream Arab opposition – and have instead carved out three autonomous “cantons” in northeast Syria and Afrin.

Amnesty’s senior disaster adviser Lama Fakih stated the autonomous Kurdish administration was “flouting worldwide humanitarian regulation, in assaults that quantity to struggle crimes”.

The YPG is part of a military alliance including Syrian Arab groups that were air dropped small arms and ammunition by US forces in northeastern Syria on Sunday.

“In its fight against IS [Daesh], the Autonomous Administration appears to be trampling all over the rights of civilians who are caught in the middle”.

“We saw extensive displacement and destruction that did not occur as a result of fighting”.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said he understands Ankara’s concerns, but he said during the prolonged battle for the northern Syrian Kurdish border town of Kobani, “It would be irresponsible of us, as well as morally very difficult, to turn your back on a community fighting IS as hard as it is”, he said.

The London-based group called on Kurdish officials to end such abuses, compensate the families for their losses and hold those responsible accountable.