Arab Co-president Of Cizîrê Canton Rejects A.I. Criticisms Of YPG

Sheik Himedi Deham al-Hadi , the co-president of the Cizîrê Canton and an influential Arab leader, has rejected the report released by Amnesty International which accused the YPG of destroying a number of Arab homes and forcing residents from their villages this past summer – reports an article in Özgür Gündem.

Speaking from Girkê Legê, al-Hadi said that the report was full of untruths and written with the goal of pushing a particular political agenda, saying “this was a false report written to make us appear guilty. It was prepared in line with a political agenda. Such an international organization should needs to take care not to believe information it receives from people it does not know. This kind of behavior is from our end unacceptable. We condemn this behavior. We the government of Democratic Autonomy are certain of both our military successes and our moral position.”

The report has received criticism from many different voices within Rojava. This past week Macer Gifford, a UK volunteer with the YPG, wrote an open letter to Salil Shetty, the Secretary General of Amnesty International in which he denied the accusations and asked for the report’s retraction.