RIHA - Stating that ISIS is organized in Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî, which are under the control of Turkey and paramilitary groups, YPJ Spokesperson Ruksen Mihemed said: "ISIS was defeated in Kobane, it is being revived in Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî."

 

4 years have passed since the attacks launched by Turkey and the paramilitary groups it supports on the cities of Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî in Northern and Eastern Syria on October 9, 2019. Following the attacks supported by international forces, both cities came under the control of Turkey and affiliated paramilitary groups. These places, which were among the safest cities in 2011 when the civil war broke out in Syria, became the center of inhumane practices after they came under the control of paramilitary groups. Crimes such as kidnapping, murder, extortion, harassment and rape remained on the agenda. According to the data of the Cizre Region Human Rights Organization; 429 citizens were killed in the attacks on Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî. Tens of thousands of people were either arrested or kidnapped. Additionally, the demographics of both cities have changed significantly. There was a 90 percent demographic change in Serêkaniyê alone. Paramilitary groups and their relatives were placed in the place of the displaced Kurds and other peoples.

 

Northern and Eastern Syria Women's Defense Units (YPJ) Spokesperson Ruksen Mihemed evaluated the events that took place in 4 years.

 

DEMOGRAPHY HAS CHANGED

 

Stating that Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî were targeted due to their strategic importance, Mihemed said: "People of different ethnicities and beliefs were displaced after the attacks. There was a safe and stable life before the attacks. People were building life together in all institutions. This new life caused fear for those who were enemies of Erdoğan and the self-governing people. The reason for this fear was that the new life was shaking the seats of dictatorship. This is due to this. They attacked two cities. They wanted to create a new occupation area specifically for the two cities. Their wish is to occupy other places after these two cities. This hostility has been an enmity for many years, an enmity towards the people's desire for self-governance."

 

Stating that hundreds of thousands of people were forced to live in camps due to the attacks of Turkey and its affiliated paramilitaries, Mihemed said: "Those who remained were forced to migrate. The demographic structure is being changed. They want to turn both cities into cities of Turkey. There are efforts to Turkify everything. The language, money, and institutions opened are Turkish. None of the gangs being fought are citizens of those two cities."

 

Drewing attention that the displaced citizens did not lose hope despite all the difficulties, Mihemed said: "Citizens raise their children with this hope. They are waiting for the day when they will return to their own homes and lands. What awaits them is their own culture. The history in the cities is their past. That day is near. The people have never given up resisting and will not give up. Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî will not be a home for Erdoğan and his gangs currently living there."

 

'ISIS IS BEING ORGANIZED'

 

Saying that inhumane practices such as theft, destruction and rape in cities have been on the agenda for 4 years, Mihemed said: "These are crimes against humanity, war crimes. ISIS is receiving training in two cities and re-establishing its own institutions. Turkey finances terrorism and provides logistical support to ISIS. They are doing everything for genocide against them. The organization of ISIS in two cities reveals once again the existing relationship between Turkey and ISIS. The beginning of the end for ISIS was the attacks against Kobane in 2014. ISIS was defeated in Kobanê and It is being revived in Girê Spî and Serêkaniyê."

 

LATEST ATTACKS

 

Stating that the international forces that remained silent against the attacks on Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî are also silent on other attacks today, and described this situation as "partnership in crime". Mihemed said: "Today's aerial attacks targeting infrastructure show that the new Ottoman plans and genocidal policy have not ended. As long as a people fighting for their freedom exists on these lands, Erdogan will continue to attack. The attacks that continue today are also war crimes. The targeted places are civil services areas."

 

'WOMEN'S REVOLUTION IS BEING TARGETED'

 

Drewing attention that the attacks also targeted the revolution led by women, Mihemed said: "This revolution, led by women, has become a model for all the people of the world. Women have a say in the revolution, they are the pioneers of democratic modernity. The attacks taking place now are against the will of women. They want to destroy the women's revolution with the occupation. Even though the dose of the attack is high, the will and power are strong. We will take a determined stance. There is a promise made to the martyrs that neither we nor our people will leave their lands. We will defend our lands until the end. Our resistance against the attacks will be great. We will resist until we live freely. The attacks do not and will not go unanswered."

 

Stating that it was not a coincidence that the attacks coincided with the anniversary of the international conspiracy against PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, Mihemed continued: "The attacks are the continuation of the ongoing conspiracy. They wanted to end the hope of all people seeking freedom in the person of Mr. Öcalan. Women were tried to be deprived of their identity with the conspiracy; however, these will not break our will. We will break the isolation imposed on Mr. Öcalan and foil the conspiracy. This is our call to all our people living both in Rojava and in Europe; let's defend the revolution together. Let's defend the paradigm together. Let's defeat Erdogan's fascism together."

 

MA / Emrullah Acar