Young men of Hasaka fear conscription, some flee

Reporting by Mohamed AL Hussein; Translation by Yusra Ahmed

(Zaman Al Wasl)- The Syrian regime has intensified efforts to recruit young men in its armed forces or its backed militias in Hasaka province northeast Syria.

There was weak response to regime’s calls for recruiting fighters; therefore it tried to push the youth by putting them under two options: either to join its forces, or leave the city.

Activist Milad yusuf told Zaman al-Wasl that mandatory recruitment resulted in departure of huge number of young men the city, as the forces Democratic Union Party (PYD abducted young men from their houses, streets or markets in areas under their control, while the regime circulated lists of names required to join the mandatory military service.

The activist mentioned that regime intends to cease salaries for number of employees in public sectors because they are required to join the military service, which forced many to try leaving to Turkey.

Yusuf reported that Turkish-Syrian borders witness these day heavy movement to Turkey, despite the risk and the high cost of the transportation, as smugglers have raised the cost to $350 per person, while it was only 1200 Syrian Pounds as entry fees to Turkey.

 The activist mentioned that (PYD) has started digging a ditch to separate the Northern part of Ras al-Ain town from its Turkish side.

Reasons are not known yet, but the ditch would harden the escape of many young men to Turkey.

 In te same time, battles to the West of Ras al-Ain and Hasaka between the Islamic State and (PYD) resulted in more difficulties in escaping to Aleppo and Raqqa Youth of Hasaka feel they are imprisoned in a big prison and where Syrian regime uses the national, tribal and religious conflicts to raise the feeling of threat among people, hoping to encourage people to join the national defence forces.