September 21, 2016•Update: September 22, 2016
By Mustafa Guclu
SANLIURFA/RAQQA
U.S. flags displayed by PKK/PYD on a customs building in northern Syria for nearly a week has sparked reactions by Syrians who previously lived in the area.
Ali Sultan is a Syrian who said he had to flee the Tal Abyad district of the Raqqa governorate in Syria's north, where the U.S. flags were raised, 18 months ago because of the PYD.
He now lives in Turkey's border district of Akcakale in the southeastern Sanliurfa province, located around 148 kilometers (nearly 92 miles) north of Raqqa.
"PYD tries to divide Syria. We as an Syrians do not want U.S. flag along with PYD in our [Syrian] territory," Sultan said.
Syrian Havle Mushadene also said that they did not want any terror organizations in their country and slammed the displayed U.S. flag.
"We do not want U.S. or its flag."
On September 15, PKK/PYD displayed U.S. flags on its facilities in the Tal Abyad district of Raqqa. On Sept. 17, PKK/PYD lowered three of them except a flag raised over the customs house.
The customs house flag can be seen from Turkey's border district of Akcakale in southeastern Sanliurfa province.
On Sept. 2, several PYD/PKK terrorists displayed an American flag in the village of Rafe, north of the liberated city of Manbij, 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the west bank of the Euphrates River.
According to a local Syrian opposition source on the ground, the flags were being used as deterrents to prevent attacks.
By displaying the U.S. flags, they are sending the false signal that U.S. forces are also present, the source, speaking on condition of anonymity due to concerns for their safety, said.
