March 21, 2010 by sks
Filed under News, Syria
Intelligence security and informers turned Newroz celebrations into a massacre when two young men and a teenage girl were murdered and forty-one others injured when they were fired on by intelligence service personnel.
General Khalid al-Halabi – head of state security branch in al-Raqqa, and Abdul Razzak al-Jassim – head of the Ba’ath Party branch in al-Raqqa had attended a meeting a week ago in al-Raqqa province where it was decided that Ba’ath Party members would go to the Newroz celebrations area on 21 March 2010 to provoke the Kurdish revellers.
Today Kurds went to celebrate Newroz where wheat is kept and processed in al-Raqqa, and were enjoying theatre and festivities, having decorated the place with Kurdish flags and pictures of martyrs and the Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. Fifteen minutes into the celebrations, Ba’ath Party members arrived with Syrian flags and photos of the President to incite trouble, and without provocation, the security forces opened fire randomly at the crowd and used tear gas on them. Other members of the security forces were seen to be on standby near to the area.
Three people died, and forty one were injured in this bloodshed today. Two of the injured, Mohammed Khalil and Mohammed Osman were taken to al-Razi hospital in Aleppo because of the seriousness of their injuries. Mohammed Osman’s is in a very critical condition.
Others who were wounded and also arrested are:
Ibraham Daou
Kaniwar
Mahmoud Mustafa
Hawker Ibrahim
Mohammed Hoshak
Khalil Ibrahim
Hamrash
Ali Muhammad Nebo
Mohammed Omar Haider died tonight at 9.15pm in hospital due to his injuries. He had lost an eye during the violence. As yet the names of the other two who were killed have not been released. Their bodies were taken by the security forces. People who have visited the hospitals to enquire after family members have been arrested. There is strong security at the hospitals at this time.
Comment: This massacre of Kurdish people celebrating Newroz in the Western Kurdistan area of Syria has been shocking. Many people are asking:
Why do Kurds face live bullets in this way?
Why is Kurdish blood considered to be so cheap? This has happened before to Kurds who were celebrating their history and culture peacefully, for example in 2008 three Kurds were murdered in Qamishli whilst celebrating Newroz.
Why does the Ba’athist state use warfare, murder and terrorism against Kurds?
Report from Media Institute of West Kurdistan Society
Co-Chair: International Support Kurds in Syria Association [SKS]
Web: www.supportkurds.org
