PKK/YPG terrorists postpone so-called local elections in northern Syria

The PKK/YPG terrorist organisation, which planned to hold so-called local elections in the territories it occupies in Syria, has been forced to postpone the vote following Türkiye's warnings that it will not allow the establishment of a terrorist state in the region.

In a post on the so-called civil administration's Facebook account, the organisation announced that the so-called local elections, previously scheduled for June 11 in the occupied territories, have been postponed to August 18.

The terrorist organisation aimed to legitimise itself through these so-called elections, which were to cover four provinces including Raqqah, Deir Ezzor, Aleppo, and Al Hasakah, as well as regions like Al Jazira (Hasakah and Qamishli), Al Furat (Ayn al Arab), Manbij, Afrin al Shahba, and Al Tabqah.

The organisation's efforts have faced opposition from within Syria, notably from Kurdish political groups suppressed by force.

US-PKK link

The US State Department emphasised that any elections in Syria should only take place under specific conditions, highlighting the need for free, fair, and transparent election processes in the country.

However, public scrutiny continues regarding the stance of Brett McGurk, the White House National Security Council's Middle East and North Africa Coordinator, and elements of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) regarding the terrorist organisation's efforts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during the Efes-2024 Exercise on May 30, emphasised that the PKK's Syrian extension is intensifying efforts to establish a 'terroristan' by oppressing the local population and using various coercive methods, including the expulsion of non-compliant individuals and the use of child soldiers.

He stated that this is part of a broader plan targeting Türkiye and the region, not merely a fight against Daesh. Erdogan reiterated Türkiye's clear stance against the establishment of a terrorist state near its southern borders and warned that Türkiye would take necessary actions if confronted with similar situations again.

Displacement of inhabitants of Manbij

Locals of Manbij, whose lands were occupied by PKK terrorist group's Syrian wing YPG in northern Syria eight years ago, oppose the so-called local elections that the terrorist organisation plans to hold in the occupied regions and believe that this aims to divide the country.

The district center, town and villages of Manbij, whose population overwhelmingly consists of Arabs with close to 99 percent, were occupied by the terrorist organisation PKK/YPG with the support of the US in 2016.

The US, which promised that PKK/YPG members would leave Manbij, did not fulfill its commitments.

Civilians escaping from the methods of forced recruitment, kidnapping of children and drug addiction and extortion imposed by the terrorist organisation under the pretext of "tax" in the occupied territories, have migrated to the Turkish border.

Displaced people from Manbij told Anadolu Agency that the terrorist organisation aims to divide Syria with the so-called local election plan.

Abdulraheem Omar, who had to escape from the PKK/YPG occupation and migrate to the Jarablus district, said: that the terror group does not represent the people of Manbij in any way. "By entering Manbij, it restricted freedom of expression and the use of rights, and implemented its terrorist and separatist agenda by using people affiliated with it," he said.

He further stated that YPG "serves foreign agendas aiming to to change the demography of the country and corrupts young people by getting them involved in drugs."

YPG has a structure that "only recruits children and women, corrupts the people and declares war on moral va lues," he added.

'Attempt to disintegrate Syria'

Another Manbij local, Abdullatif Hamo said: "We were expelled from our land and our home by this organisation about 10 years ago. Although we tried to return many times during these 10 years, they did not accept us because we were of Arab origin."

Saying that YPG members destroyed and burned their houses, Hamo added that they "have no problem with the Kurds, what separates us from each other are the terrorists in Qandil," in reference to areas occupied by PKK terrorists at Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq.

"We heard that the organisation will hold so-called elections. This is an attempt to divide Syria. Syria is a single state with all its ethnic origins. The first action of the Qandil terrorists, who have been working on the division of Syria for years, was to hold elections," he said.

"The terrorists coming from Qandil want to establish a state here. They are not even Syrians. Syrian Kurds, Arabs, Druze and Sunnis do not want the country to be divided in any way. They want Syria to remain a single state," he concluded.​​​​​​​