(AINA) -- The Syrian Democratic Forces are mostly Kurds from YPG/PYD, a Marxist organization. The Democratic Self-Administration of Northern Syria (DSA) is controlled by the YPG. Most of the Assyrians in the DSA are independent; some are not. Dawronoye are Assyrians who advance the Kurdish agenda and have no support from Assyrians.

On paper the DSA gives equal rights to all of its members (Assyrians, Armenians, Yazidis, Arabs, Kurds and others), but in practice the DSA is controlled by the YPG and engages in oppressive, discriminatory actions against non-Kurdish groups.

The following are examples of abuses committed by the YPG in northwest Syria:

Closing Assyrian, Armenian and other non-Kurdish schools

• Assyrians in Northern Syria Condemn School Closures By Kurds
• Kurdish YPG Shuts 2 More Armenian, Assyrian Schools in Syria
• Closure of Assyrian Schools: Another Bleak Sign for Christians in Syria

Imposing Kurdish school curricula on non-Kurdish schools

• Kurds in Syria Shutdown Assyrian School for Refusing Kurdish Curriculum

Bombing Assyrian businesses

• Assyrians Under Kurdish Rule: The Situation in Northeastern Syria

Occupying Assyrian villages

• Kurdish YPG Forces Setup Training Camps in 3 Assyrian Villages in Syria
• Kurds Occupying Assyrian Villages in Syria
• Assyrian Villages in Khabour, Syria Occupied By Kurdish YPG-militia

Occupying Assyrian schools

• Kurdish Militia Occupies Assyrian School in Hasaka, Syria

Illegally seizing property

• Assyrians, Armenians in Syria Protest Kurdish Confiscation of Property

Forced conscription

• Assyrian Organizations Issue Joint Statement on Human Rights Violations in North-east Syria

Violently clashing with Assyrians not aligned with the YPG

• Kurdish YPG Forces Attack Assyrians in Syria, 1 Assyrian, 3 Kurds Killed
• Assyrian Christians Battle Kurds in Syria
• European Assyrian Organizations Condemn Kurdish YPG Attack on Assyrians in Syria

Assassinating members of other ethnic groups

• Assyrian Federations Accuse YPG Kurds of Assassinating Assyrian Military Leader

Displacing Arabs from their villages

• Is There 'Systematic Ethnic Cleansing' By Kurds in North-east Syria?
• US Probes Report of Kurd YPG Purging Arabs

Ethnic cleansing

• ibid

Recruiting children into their militia

• Syria: Armed Group Recruiting Children in Camps

Arbitrarily arresting critics

• Assyrian Journalist Arrested By Kurdish Self-Administration in Syria
• PYD Continues Arbitrary Arrests of Critics

Editor's note: this article has been updated since its original publication.