Three People’s Defence Forces (HPG) fighters have been missing since they were attacked by Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) forces on 26 July near Xelifan in Iraqi Kurdistan. The family of one of the fighters, in seeking to establish his whereabouts and situation, were denied entry into Iraqi Kurdistan by the Peshmerga, ANHA reports.
The family, from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), consists of the father, Hisên Şerivan, the mother Roz Welî Xelîl and their two sons. They were stopped by the Peshmerga of the KDP at the Sêmalka crossing early on the morning of 9 August, and were not permitted to enter.
An HPG unit, consisting of Dijwar Berxwedan and a number of other fighters, had reportedly been attacked by KDP forces on 26 July near Xelifan in the Hewler province of Iraqi Kurdistan, and three fighters have been missing since then.
Dijwar Berxwedan, Serwer Serhat and Wargeş Çavreş are believed to have been abducted by the KDP forces. Whilst no information has been released about the whereabouts and the condition of the three fighters, Hisên Şerivan stated that they had demanded information from the South Kurdistan administration.
Indicating that it has been a week since they learned that Dijwar and his two friends had been abducted, Şerivan protested against the attitude of the KDP officials.
Speaking to ANHA, he stated that his son and other HPG fighters went to that area to defend the people.
“Then the KDP comes and attacks them, although they are struggling for the unity of the Kurds. Our enemy is the same,” he added. He appealed to the KDP leader Mesud Barzani to provide information concerning the conditions of the three fighters.