TAL ABYAD, Syria
Oppressions, and tortures of YPG/PKK terrorists towards locals in Tal Abyad district are revealed following Turkey's anti-terror operation in northern Syria.
After the Turkish army together with Syrian National Army (SNA) cleared the city of YPG/PKK and Daesh/ISIS terror groups, locals speak out about persecutions of the terrorists.
People are happy after regaining their independence with the reconstruction of the city.
"We have started to live in peace," Ismail Abdullah Hamud, a fruit seller, told Anadolu Agency.
"Only Allah knows how we had suffered from the terror group. They oppressed us. We couldn't do any trade as they closed our shops.
First, they didn't allow us to open our stores, and later imposed so-called tariffs on vegetables when we opened our grocery stores again," he added.
Mehmet Mustafa, a barber, also said the terrorists only helped their own men to have jobs, but not anyone else.
"Terrorists had closed our shops by force, said Mustafa and added: "The city, now cleared of terrorists, is now in much better conditions, in case other Syrians would like to come. There are breads and lots of vegetables. Stores are open".
Armenian brothers can return, pray in their church
Hamed Samir, an SNA commander, emphasized that YPG/PKK terrorists used the church as their military quarters and placed bombs inside before they left.
The area is now cleared of the bombs, said Samir.
"Terrorists attacked Turkey with mortars from the church while they were staying here. But Turkish brothers haven’t attacked back to the church to respect their Armenian brothers, and the church is now cleared [of the terrorists and the bombs].
Armenian brothers now can come and pray in their church," he said.
An SNA soldier Ahmet Abdulhakim said the terrorists seized his parents' house.
"They gave trouble to my parents, tortured my father for five months, plundered our belongings, and when we returned, there was nothing left in our houses," he added.
Turkey recognized Daesh/ISIS as a terrorist organization in 2013.
Since then, Turkey has been attacked by Daesh/ISIS terrorists numerous times, including in 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings, and four armed attacks.
These attacks killed 315 people, including 11 police officers and two soldiers -- and injured 137 civilians, 62 police officers and seven soldiers.
In response to these attacks, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad.
In two cross-border military operations in Syria since 2016, Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch, Turkey neutralized 3,500 Daesh/ISIS terrorists and arrested 5,500.
Turkey has conducted three successful operations in northern Syria against the terrorist YPG/PKK and Daesh/ISIS, including Operation Euphrates Shield (2016-17), Operation Olive Branch (2018), and Operation Peace Spring.
Launched on Oct. 9, the anti-terror Operation Peace Spring aims to eliminate terrorist YPG/PKK elements from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.
On Oct. 22, Ankara and Moscow reached a deal under which YPG/PKK terrorists will pull back 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of Turkey’s border with Syria within 150 hours, and security forces from Turkey and Russia will mount joint patrols there.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.
* Writing by Davut Demircan
