YPS Announces Its Withdrawal from Nusaybin

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The Civilian Defense Units (YPS) has announced that it has withdrawn as of May 25 from Mardin’s Nusaybin where curfew is in effect since March 14.

YPS stating civilians have been killed in Tunç neighborhood has called on human rights organizations to protect right to live of civilians and wounded.

“No one armed left in Nusaybin”

Dicle News Agency citing written statement of the YPS General Coordination reported that YPS said “Our forces have reached their bases by successfully retreating from Nusaybin as of May 25”.

The statement noting that no one armed has been left in Nusaybin said there are some wounded consisting of civilian women, children in addition to locals and civilian youngsters.

Nusaybin Co-Mayor Sara Kaya in her statement to Fırat News Agency following YPS’s declaration said there are estimated 50,000 civilians in Nusaybin.

The claim that 25 people are organization members

State-run Anadolu Agency (AA) had reported that 25 people surrendered in Nusaybin yesterday (May 25) where operation has been continuing.

Turkish Armed Forces had announced that three stated to be organization members were killed and that 25 others surrendered.

AA had released the photos of people claimed to be organization members of brought to their knees and handcuffed from behind.

* YPS (Civil Protection Units): Organization operating in Kurdish provinces of Turkey which has adopted the name YPS upon merger of the Patriotic Revolutionary Movement (YDG-H) and local forces in December 2015 following the curfews.

About Nusaybin Nusaybin is one of the 10 districts of Turkey's southeastern province of Mardin. The population is 97,156. Its southern neighboring country is Syria. Its Co-Mayors are Sara Kaya and Cengiz Kök from Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). November 1, 2015 General Election Results HDP (% 89,38), Justice and Development Party (AKP) (% 8,62), People's Republican Party (CHP) (% 0,63), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) (% 0,55) June 7, 2015 General Election Results HDP (% 90,42, AKP (% 6,53), MHP (% 0.80), CHP (% 0,37)

(BK/TK)