Statement from the Kurdish National Council regarding cases of kidnapping by PYD militants

Yekiti Media

In a new escalation step, militants of the Democratic Union Party kidnapped:

– Majdal Dahham Haj Qasim, head of the Khinav folklore group in the city of Amuda, upon his return to his village of Karnago.

– Saad Kawa Konrash (18 years old), a member of the Khinav band, upon his return from school.

– Saleh Jamil Baggari (17 years old), member of the Khinav folklore group, upon his return from school.

PYD gunmen previously kidnapped a member of the Khinav band, the theater actor “Nasser Ghaleb Jaro,” on April 21, in addition to kidnapping four other members of the council more than two months ago, and their fate is still unknown.

The Kurdish National Council condemns in the strongest terms the campaign of arrests and intimidatory practices against members and supervisors of Kurdish folklore groups with the aim of intimidating them and preventing them from practicing their artistic and cultural activities in order to preserve the heritage and folklore of our people.

These violations come in light of the continued restrictions on living and political life in the Kurdish regions, where the region’s residents suffer from difficult economic conditions and the imposition of large royalties, in addition to repeatedly raising fuel prices, which has caused the prices of all materials and goods to rise and creates great difficulties and challenges for the remaining people. Our people search for ways to immigrate.

These violations also come at a time when our people are raising their voices loudly, calling on the Kurdish political parties to unify their position to confront the dangers facing the region, as well as against international efforts in this regard. The continuation of these violations only serves the enemies of the Kurdish people, and their purpose is to block the way to any efforts to unify the Kurdish position.

The Kurdish National Council calls for the immediate release of those arrested from the Khinav Folklore Band and all detainees of the Kurdish National Council, and calls on all human rights and humanitarian organizations and coalition countries, most notably the United States, to exert serious pressure on the “SDF” to stop these violations and restrain the hand of the PYD militants and its security agencies on the necks and pens of our people.

Qamishlo, May 9, 2024

General Secretariat of the Kurdish National Council in Syria

*****

Majdal Dahham Haj Qasim

Khinav folklore group