Syrian police killed one protester and injured three when they dispersed a rally expressing support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the face of Turkish threats, a Kurdish official said on Saturday.
Two of the injured were in serious condition after police opened fire on the rally in the northeastern city of Al-Qamishli on Friday, Kurdish Progressive Democrat Party secretary general Abdul Aziz Dawi told AFP. Police also used tear gas and water cannon against the demonstrators who marched to the Turkish border city from the nearby village of Hilaliyeh, said Dawi.
"The Syrian authorities yesterday dispersed a peaceful demonstration in support of the PKK, killing one Kurd and wounding three, two of them seriously," he conveyed. According to him, on Saturday security forces sealed off access to Al-Qamishli.
"The attitude of the Syrian authorities is completely unjustifiable, because a pro-PKK demonstration was held 10 days ago and we oppose violence if a protest is peaceful," Dawi said.
"The Kurdish parties have called for calm because the situation in the region is very tense," he added, and said he hoped things could be resolved "through negotiations."
