Cizire Canton Foreign Relations Council Co-chair Dr. Abdulkerim Omer said they have contacted various countries to have them pick up the gang members in their custody. Some countries haven’t responded and some others said, “Either put them on trial or kill them,” out of fear.

Forces under the YPG/YPJ and the SDF have fought against ISIS, Al Nusra, Al Qaeda, Ahrar Al Sham and dozens of other gangs for years. 16 thousand gang members have been killed in these battles. Some 800 gang members surrendered to the SDF.

Cizire Canton Foreign Relations Council Co-chair Dr. Abdulkerim Omer spoke to the ANF and said there are gang members from 46 countries attacking Rojava and added that they have contacted the countries to come pick up their citizens.

“THE STATES SHOULD TAKE THE GANG MEMBERS”

Omer said, “800 gang members have been captured by the SDF forces during the liberation of Northern Syria and Rojava. These gang members are citizens of 46 countries. There are also 584 women and 1248 children in the camps. The children who were subjected to ISIS training must be educated again. We have no strength to educate them. That is why we are calling on the international community to fulfill this duty. We have paid a heavy price to get our own lands back from the gangs. The states the gang members we hold belong to should come pick their citizens up. This is a moral and legal responsibility.”

Dr. Omer said they won’t put these gang members on trial: “Every country should put their own citizens on trial. Or an international court should put these gang members on trial. If international institutions don’t fulfill their own responsibility, then we have to make decisions. We repeat once again, we will not keep these gang members with us.”

“Russia took 50 Shishani women. Indonesia took 3 citizens, Saudi Arabia took 2 women and 3 children,” said Omer: “YPJ handed over 1 woman and 4 children to the US. We have contacted Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands but we haven’t received any response yet.”

“WE MET WITH CANADA”

Omer said they met with Canada: “We met with a Canadian delegation in Sulaymaniyah in Southern Kurdistan. Files had been prepared for legal procedures. But this issue has been on hold for 3-4 months. We haven’t received information as to why Canada is not responding.”

“WE DON’T HAVE THE DEATH PENALTY IN OUR LAWS”

Cizire Canton Foreign Relations Council Co-chair Dr. Abdulkerim Omer said some countries didn’t take their citizens back: “Some countries propose that we put these people on trial. Some tell us to kill their citizens. We cannot kill these people. We don’t have the death penalty in our laws. We also have women and children in our custody. We have settled them in the Roj, El-Hor and Elîsa camps. The women and children are not in prison, but the gang members are.”