ERBIL, June 18 (AKnews) – A Kurdish activist was shot dead by Syrian security forces in the capital Damascus, Kurdish sources said.
Mohamed Mahmoud al-Yousef was killed on Monday was kidnapped, tortured and his body was dumped in al-Maliha in Damascus, a Kurdish activist from the Kurdish Youth Organizations Union told AKnews on Monday.
Kurds have been largely avoiding clashes with the Syrian forces since the protests began last year. But they have been showing support for the uprisings and call for the removal of Bashar al-Asad from power.
The number of Kurds in Syria, according to unofficial figures, ranges between two to three millions mostly populating the north east of the country.
Kurds have been demanding recognition to their Kurdish identity in the Syrian constitution as well as equal rights with their non-Kurdish counterparts in the country.
About 300,000 Kurds were even denied Syrian citizenship by the Syrian authorities until the protests broke out last year.
Kurds have continued to call for the toppling of the Bashar al-Asad regime despite promises by the president to grant the Kurds Syrian citizenship rights.
By Abdullah Sabri
RY/AKnews