Syrian Kurdish leader arrested in Prague

Czech authorities detained a former leader of a Syrian Kurdish political party.

Syrian Kurdish leader Saleh Muslim has been arrested in Prague at the behest of Turkey, the main Kurdish-led political coalition says.

Muslim was the co-chair of the PYD party, the major component of the coalition that runs autonomous parts of north Syria. Ankara sees the PYD and its militia affiliate, the YPG, as extensions of the Kurdish PKK movement that has waged a decades-long insurgency on Turkish soil - though the groups say they are independent.

A statement from the TEV-DEM coalition, of which Muslim is a member, said Turkey had issued an arrest warrant for him and he was detained on Saturday.

"We condemn this illegal act," it said.

A Kurdish official close to Muslim said the former PYD leader was in Prague attending a conference. After a Turkish participant took a photograph of him, Czech police detained the Syrian politician, following a request by Turkey.

Czech police didn't immediately confirm the report.

Muslim was put on Turkey's most-wanted list earlier in February with a reward for $US1 million ($A1.4 million).

Turkey considers the PYD a "terrorist group" linked to outlawed Kurdish insurgents fighting within Turkey's own borders.


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Source: AAP


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