The following is a statement from Rudaw Media Network on the attack on its office in Qamishli:
Last night at 12:05 a.m. three masked individuals attacked Rudaw Media Network’s office in Qamishli, Western Kurdistan. Two of the attackers who were young men, threw Molotov cocktails into Rudaw’s office while the other was recording the attack, as it appears in the security cameras. As a result, the ground floor of Rudaw’s Qamishli office alongside some equipment was burned and damaged.
This is the sixth attack on Rudaw Media Network’s office in Qamishli. So far, no arrests have been made regarding previous attacks, though they happened during the daytime and with the presence of security forces. The last five attacks were done by the Revolutionary Youth Movement, an organization belonging to PYD, where threw rocks at Rudaw’s office in Qamishli. To this moment, no group or organization has claimed responsibility for these attacks, and the attackers wore masks, to keep their anonymity.
This attack is a very serious threat to the work and lives of Rudaw Media Network’s team in Western Kurdistan. While it is also a very dangerous assault on the freedom of journalism in the area.
Rudaw Media Network is asking the relevant departments within the democratic autonomous administration not to remain silent regarding the attacks. Rudaw is also asking the civil organizations and all the advocates for freedom of journalism to break their silence and make efforts to protect our colleagues and office in Western Kurdistan.
Rudaw Media Network
28/09/2021
