ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish National Council (ENKS) on Monday condemned attacks on Kurdish families returning to their homes in northern Syria's Gri Spi (Tel Abyad), calling for an investigation after returnees, including women and children, reportedly faced death threats and physical assaults, while their vehicles were set on fire.
The council said the families had returned after years of displacement and had coordinated with the Raqqa province, local authorities and security forces to reclaim their homes and properties.
The attacks pose "a serious threat to efforts to ensure the voluntary, safe and dignified return of displaced people and undermine opportunities to promote civil peace and stability in the region,” the council warned in a statement.
The violence comes as security concerns and property disputes continue to complicate the return of Kurdish families in northern and northeastern Syria displaced by Turkey's 2019 military offensive following an integration agreement in late January.
The return of displaced residents forms part of the broader implementation of the January 30 agreement between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian interim government, which provides for the integration of military and civilian institutions and guarantees the return of displaced people to their areas.
The council urged the Syrian government and Raqqa governor to form an investigative committee to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.
It also rejected accusations linking the returning families to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), saying such claims must not be used as "a pretext for targeting them or obstructing their return."
"Civil rights and property rights must be protected," the council stressed, adding that civilians should not bear responsibility for decisions made by successive authorities.
In a separate statement on Monday, the Raqqa Internal Security Command acknowledged the unrest, confirming that several vehicles had been burned or damaged.
The command said it "will not tolerate any acts of vandalism or attacks on property," pledging to identify those involved and hold them accountable under the law.
It also urged residents to "exercise restraint" and avoid actions threatening civil peace, stressing its commitment to protecting citizens and their properties.
Asked by Rudaw's Namo Abdulla about the attacks, Daniela Gross De Almeida, associate spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said she had not seen the reports but emphasized that Syria's interim authorities were responsible for ensuring the safety of all communities.
"It's important that everyone of the nationalities, the minorities, religious minorities, ethnic minorities in Syria feel safe in their country," she said. "This is the responsibility of the interim authorities.”
According to the Gri Spi Displaced Persons Committee, around 100 Kurdish families were trapped inside a local administration building for more than eight hours during Monday's unrest.
The incident follows similar attacks in August against Kurdish families returning to Sare Kani, where some returnees were forced back into displacement camps.
Gri Spi and neighboring Sare Kani fell under Turkish control and Ankara-backed Syrian armed groups following Turkey's 2019 military offensive, which displaced large numbers of Kurdish residents.
Sare Kani has seen the return of more than 3,180 families since August, with the sixth convoy departing on Wednesday with 645 families.
While displaced residents have called for more frequent convoys - staging protests earlier this week over the limited departures and select lists - the limited number of convoys, refusal of squatters to vacate, and persistent acts of settler violence raise serious concerns over whether Damascus can ensure their safety.
“The return of residents is not merely a matter of organizing trips; rather, it requires creating conditions that ensure their stability and prevent them from being forced to flee once again,” Hasaka Deputy Governor Ahmed al-Hilali said on Wednesday.
