Terrorist YPG/PKK deprives people in northern Syria of fuel

By Omer Koparan and Ethem Emre Ozcan

MANBIJ, Syria (AA) – The terrorist YPG/PKK has been punishing people in northern Syria for rejecting its violent agenda by creating an artificial shortage of fuel, which it has a monopoly on locally.

The terror group is hurting people in the Manbij region, whose population is 99% Arab, by pressuring locals who have rejected its policy of forcibly recruiting young people to its terrorist ranks under the guise of "compulsory military service."

Tensions were high among Manbij residents following the incarceration of young people who refused to join the YPG/PKK's "compulsory military service," which began last May.

In protests over the terror group’s arrest of young people due to their refusal to enlist, eight civilians were killed and 27 others injured.

After the demonstrations spread throughout the district, the terror group bowed to public demands to end the so-called “military service” and released the captives.

Manbij, which had a population of roughly 1 million people before the Syrian civil war began in 2011, had already experienced the worst fuel crisis since 2016, with only one gas station selling petrol.

However, since withdrawing the "compulsory military service" campaign, the terror group has adopted a new policy of allowing only 40 liters of gas per 10 days per car, replacing the old 40 liters per week policy, which is tantamount to punishing the public for rejecting the YPG/PKK's forcible recruitment policy.

Although there are many fuel stations throughout the district, the YPG/PKK allows the fuel it holds in monopoly to be sold through only one.

In Manbij, where even agricultural land cannot be irrigated, cars line up at the gas station at the crack of dawn to get fuel.

The station, where hundreds of vehicles are always queued, only sells petrol for six hours a day.

Many of those who are unable to get fuel for their vehicles due to the long lines are forced to buy liters of gasoline on the black market for roughly twice the price of 1,500 Syrian liras (around $2.5).

- Cars with no drivers ​​​​​​​

At several gas stations throughout town, vehicles can be seen parked, abandoned by their drivers due to a lack of fuel.

Muhammad Abu Ali of Manbij, who had been waiting for hours at a gas station, told Anadolu Agency: "The main cause of the fuel problem isn’t a fuel shortage – there’s fuel, but it’s not being provided at petrol stations."

"Distribution is done through a single petrol station in the district," he explained, pointing to about 150 vehicles in line ahead of his car.

“The quota of 40 liters of fuel allocated to vehicle owners every 10 days is too little," he complained.

Abu Yusuf, another Manbij resident, voiced discontent with the terrorist group only allowing one station to sell fuel, adding, "This has created a tremendous strain on us."

"We arrive at 5 a.m. and queue, but the gas station owners close the facility at 2 or 3 p.m. and leave," he said. "We arrive the next day, but after fueling several cars, they tell us there's no fuel left."

He said he waits in line for hours to get fuel for his car but often returns without getting any.

- Civilians suffer

Abu Hasan, who came to the station to buy gasoline, said he has been waiting in line for hours: "I bought the gasoline allocated to me five or six days ago, but I’m nearly on empty now.”

“I've been waiting in line since 6 a.m. It seems to me there’s not enough fuel," he added.

"There’s an inspector assigned by the YPG/PKK for each station, but that person also doesn’t work properly," he said, adding that some people have taken advantage of the bad situation to sell black market fuel at higher prices.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the US and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the group’s Syrian branch.