Turkish commentators and a Kurdish armed group in Syria are at odds over the latter’s alleged connections to the ongoing riots in the US.
US President Donald Trump tweeted yesterday he would declare the left-wing ANTIFA movement a terrorist organization after its apparent role in protests and riots in the US. Trump’s statement prompted some in Turkey to draw a connection between the movement and the Kurdish group in Syria the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which the US backs against the Islamic State (IS) and which has accepted some international volunteers with ANTIFA affiliations. One former foreign fighter in the YPG said that while there were ANTIFA supporters in the YPG, they do not represent the group nor its foreign volunteers as a whole.
“It's no secret that international antifascists joined the YPG,” Joshua Molloy told Al-Monitor. “But to say all international YPG volunteers were ANTIFA activists is not accurate.”
The US is currently engulfed in protests and riots following the death of George Floyd. The late Floyd was an African-American former security guard who died while in custody after a white policeman kneeled on his neck. The role of ANTIFA, a loosely-organized protest movement that rose to prominence following Trump’s election, came into focus following their presence at the subsequent demonstrations. ANTIFA supporters have endorsed fires and property destruction during the protests. They have also clashed with far-right groups likewise known for violence in the past.
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