Kurdish Militia Accused of Killing Syrian Protesters
June 28, 2013
by VOA News
Activists in Syria are accusing a Kurdish militia of gunning down three protesters as tensions rise in towns along the Turkish border.
The activists say the deaths took place during a protest Thursday night in the town of Amuda, when members of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) opened fire to disperse demonstrators.
Video posted online by the activists claims to show PYD militia members on white trucks firing at the crowd. Activists say the protest was sparked by the detention of three people who had been protesting against the PYD's rule.
The PYD defended its actions, saying its members were under attack by a rival group.
The Kurdish Democratic Union Party has controlled large areas of northeastern Syria since government troops withdrew last year. The PYD is also affiliated with the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), considered a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.
Some activists accuse the PYD of collaborating with the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Many of the activists have supported the uprising against the Syrian regime.
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