2 civilians killed by YPG/PKK terrorist fire during protest

By Esref Musa and Mohamad Misto

ANKARA (AA) - PKK/YPG terrorists opened fire on civilians protesting fuel price hikes in northern Syria on Tuesday, killing at least two.

Local residents angered by the new prices imposed by the terror group in areas under its occupation took to the streets in many parts of northern Syria.

As a result of the gunfire opened by the terrorists to disperse the protesters in the Al-Nashwa district of Al-Hasaka province, at least two civilians, identified as Ayman Shahir and Abdulkadir Asad, were killed, and four civilians injured.

The tension between the locals and the terrorists continues to escalate, particularly in Syria's Deir ez-Zor and Al-Hasakah provinces and the surrounding areas.

- Protests in Al-Hasakah, Deir ez-Zor

Having seized most of Syria's energy resources, the YPG/PKK terror group has also forcibly and disproportionately raised fuel prices.

Faced with the hike amid their limited purchasing power, residents in northern Syria are now pouring out into the streets.

Along with the protests in Al-Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor, people in the Amuda, Rmelan, Al-Maabadah, Qamishli and Dayrik districts also demonstrated against the increases in the prices for energy resources such as natural gas, diesel oil and gasoline.

Areas occupied by the YPG/PKK in the provinces of Deir ez-Zor and Al-Hasakah are considered Syria's richest in terms of energy resources, including oil and natural gas.

The terror group cut off fuel provisions to the Bashar al Assad regime 25 days ago, citing accumulating debt.

Located on the border with Iraq, Deir ez-Zor has the largest energy resources in the war-torn country, with the area on the eastern bank of the city divided by the Euphrates River has 11 large oil fields.

The YPG/PKK terrorist group continues to occupy 70% of Syrian oil resources, with support from the US, while oil refineries remain under the regime's control.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.