AKR statement on recent events in Amudê

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Alliance for Kurdish Rights (AKR) is deeply concerned about the events that recently unfolded in the city of Amudê in West Kurdistan (Northern part of Syria).

On June 27, hundreds of Kurds in the city of Amudê gathered to protest the detainment of activists by PYD security forces, Havidar, a citizen journalist, told AFP. The protesters were shouting anti-PYD slogans and “the Asaish (the PYD’s security police) opened fire… on the protesters,” Havidar said.

Activists say 3 protesters were killed.

The PYD issued a statement on July 3rd, saying:

The clashes in Amude occurred after an ambush was set up by an unknown armed group, in which a Popular Protection Unit (YPG) patrol was attacked upon returning from a reconnaissance mission. One YPG member was killed and several were injured. In the fighting that ensued from YPGs response, four members of the armed group were killed along with two civilians who regrettably fell victim to collateral damage. The Kurdish security forces (Asayîsh) detained a number of suspects of whom the majority were subsequently released, save those were proof of direct involvement could be presented. These security measures were taken in order to prevent further chaos in the city.

According to AKR contacts in Qamişlo near Amudê, residents in Amudê had been protesting PYD’s detainment of prominent activists by going on hungerstrike and having sit-ins in tents. The protests escalated on June 27; the contacts could not for sure say how many protesters died or got injured, nor could they find solid sources or reports on what triggered the clashes and who did what.

There have been conflicting reports on what happened in Amudê and the Alliance for Kurdish Rights encourages an independent committee to thoroughly investigate the incident.

We call on all Kurdish organisations in West Kurdistan to engage in dialogues and work to prevent intra-Kurdish fighting. We wish for all Kurds in West Kurdistan to stand united against anyone in Syria who do not consider the demands of the Kurdish people legitimate.