A captured Daesh terrorist's encrypted text messages have revealed the complex relationship of the terrorist group with the PKK/YPG. The messages show that the PKK/YPG released Daesh members from the prisons in Syria while at the same time, claiming to be fighting against them.
The truth behind the ties between the terrorist groups came to light after a Daesh terrorist, named Kuteybe Hammet, was detained in a counterterrorism operation in the southern province of Mersin. He is currently being prosecuted with a recommended sentence of 15 years in jail. The indictment against Hammet not only contained his terrorist activities, but also information on how YPG/PKK carries out its relations with the Daesh. The indictment, which contained the encryption of the terrorist's WhatsApp communications, expressed that YPG/PKK was releasing Daesh terrorists to the Syrian regime so that Daesh could fight on the regime's side.
According to the indictment, in one of the texts, Hammet wrote to a certain "Hammud el Bedevi" in the phone but referred to as "Robert," saying that he had information on YPG releasing the Daesh terrorists and delivering them to regime forces to voluntarily fight in the regime fronts. Bedevi then responds to Hammet, expressing gratitude for sharing this information and asking if Hammet has the number of the released terrorists and their names.
"Do you have any information on the duty that they will have on the 5th troop? We were so busy with the changes in the region," Bedevi continues.
The indictment also says that the two were using the emoji of an eagle and a butterfly to ensure that the environment was safe enough to talk.
In another text, Hammet talks to a certain "Abu Ismail el-Askeri" under the code-name "Muhammet el-Hasan."
"Talk with them and say that Kurds delivered some of the Daesh terrorists to the regime to work in the 5th troop," Askeri says to Hammet.
Hammet then responds: "You know the situation, but we need details as well. Which prison, how many (Daesh members), on which date they were released?"
During his investigations, Hammet stated on the texts that he has never met with the man named "Robert" in person before, so he doesn't know where he is located right now.
The YPG continues to have a mixed relationship with Daesh, with ties between the groups fluctuating from open hostility to cooperation. Reports stating that Daesh terrorists are being released from YPG prisons and camps have been circulating in the media for a while.
The YPG terrorist organization had released more than 1,000 Daesh terrorists and family members in the past two months from the al-Hol camp in Hasakah. The camp serves as a holding place for civilians who have escaped the conflict in Deir el-Zour, along with the families of former Daesh members who have surrendered and captured terrorists. Most civilians were forcefully brought to the camp by the YPG in April 2017, according to reports.
As part of the operation that led to Hammet's capture by security forces, data on almost 4,000 Daesh terrorists were also obtained. It was revealed that Hammet was using his fellow Daesh members' information to sell data to interested parties.