People of Afrin line up to get arms to defend their land
Hundreds of innocent civilians line up in Civil Defence Forces (HPC) centres to get arms in Afrin amid Turkish military preparations to invade Western Kurdistan (Northern Syria)
After Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan increased his threats of invading Afrin, people of Afrin mobilized and joined HPC to defend their land. A civil defence force with five thousand members, HPC’s centres have been filled with volunteers in the last few days.
According to HPC officials, several hundred Kurds and Arabs joined the organization to defend their land against a Turkish invasion attempt.
Afrin’s HPC commander Xelil Huseyin pointed out fabricated news of the Turkish media that say people of Afrin leaving the city.
“It’s a lie that our people left Afrin because they fear the Turkish state. As you see now our people come to Civil Defence Forces and sign up to defend their land and Afrin” Huseyin said.
Hundreds lined up in HPC centres to pick up arms and deployed to military positions across Afrin canton.
“We are ready and we will never let the Turkish state enter our land. We are ready to fight until the last drop of our blood and defend our land. As people of Afrin and HPC, we will support our comrades in YPG and YPJ and we will resist together” Huseyin added.
One of the volunteers is Muhammed Bayır, who came to Afrin from Saudi Arabia. His son Murat Amanos lost his life in Kurdish freedom struggle. Now he has picked up arms to fight against Turkish invasion.
“We will never leave our land when we have our heroes by our sides. We say ‘either victory or death’. We say nothing else” he said.
Another volunteer Adil Abbud is an Afrin resident of Arab origin. He also joined the defence of the canton and said “We, as the people of Afrin, will stand against these attacks. I wanted to be a part of our land’s defense and therefore I signed up for the HPC. To defend Afrin is the duty of everybody living here”.
Volunteer Muhammed Bin Yusuf came to sign up to HPC after the threats of Erdogan. “We will defend our land and our life. We won’t allow the invasion” he said.
European Parliament's reactions to Erdogan’s threats against Afrin
MEPs in the European Parliament continue to react to the Turkish state’s threats of military attacks on Afrin.
European Parliament’s (EP) Socialists and Democrats, United Left and Greens groups stated that they will consider the Turkish state’s plans to attack Afrin as “invasion”.
SOCIALISTS AND DEMOCRATS: “KURDS’ RIGHTS MUST BE PROTECTED”
Group Deputy Chairperson Kathleen Van Brempt held a press conference in the name of the European Parliament (EP) Socialists and Democrats and said: “Kurdish citizens’ existence in Syria, life and other rights must be respected. Comments and initiatives by Mr. Erdogan give us deep concern. Yes, we demand the rights of the Kurdish people be protected in both Syria and Turkey.”
Brempt pointed out that this most recent threat should be on the EU and EP officials’ agenda.
UNITED LEFT: “AN INVASION IS UNACCEPTABLE”
Gaby Zimmer spoke in the name of the United Left group and said: “Any military attacks by the Turkish army on Afrin or Rojava are absolutely unacceptable, as this would be an invasion attempt that targets Kurds and their rights.”
Zimmer also said, “The EU and member states should not stand in unison with the Erdogan regime,” and that she believes foreign ministers will take the developments regarding Afrin on their agenda.
GREENS: “EU SHOULD PULL ITS SUPPORT”
Co-chair Ska Keller spoke in the name of the EP Greens Group and said, “We are absolutely against military interventions on Afrin or other regions. We find it unacceptable that the EU and member states cover up Turkey’s issues including human rights issues that we have voiced countless times, or that they sell weapons to them.”
People of Afrin respond to the Turkish state
People of Afrin staged a march against the Turkish state’s threats and gave the message “They cannot break our will”.
Tens of thousands of people joined a march on Thursday in protest at the Turkish state’s threats and attempts of invasion. Demonstrators held images of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, flags of People’s/Women’s Defense Units (YPG/YPJ), and banners that read “Freedom of Öcalan is freedom of Kurdistan”, “Defense Forces don’t accept fascist Erdogan’s intervention”, “Afrin will never bow the head”, “Freedom for Öcalan, Status for Kurdistan” and “We will not abandon Afrin”.
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During the march from Newroz Crossing to Al-Vilat Avenue, the mass chanted “Your artillery do not scare us”, “We won’t leave our land”, “Long Live YPG resistance”, “Long Live brotherhood of peoples”, “People of Afrin are united”.
The march turned into a rally at Al-Vilat Avenue where speeches were held.
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Afrin Canton Executive Council Co-president Hevi Mustefa said; “The invading Turkish army is attacking Afrin to intimidate the people, claiming that people of Afrin are leaving their land. Our gathering here reveals the lies of the Turkish state.”
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Speaking after, YPG commander Ebdo İbrahim said the following; “Afrin people are known for their resistance. Those who do not believe this should turn and look at history. Those who torn down the throne of ISIS reveal our strength and will. Should Turkey attack Afrin, it will face the same aftermath. Afrin is our red line and nobody can cross it. People of olive land are resistant and they do not leave their land.”
El Bobena Tribe opinion leader Şerif Cemo said that; “Our gathering here today gives the message to the world that we resist and have a free will. We declare to the whole world that people of Afrin are together and united with all their components and there is no difference between them. We all are the people of this region and we will support our children in the battle fronts.”
Karayilan calls for mobilization for Afrin
Murat Karayilan called upon Kurdish people to mobilize against Turkish invasion in Afrin and said that Turkish state will suffer a historic defeat.
In an interview with Sterk TV, Karayilan spoke about Turkey’s attacks against Afrin and pointed out that an attack against Afrin will be an attack against Kurdish people. Karayilan also said that Kurds will not remain silent and will intervene if Turkey attacks Afrin.
Citing Turkish army’s failures in Nusaybin and Al-Bab operation, Karayilan said that Turkey makes noise but has no will or power to fight.
“We know this state very well because we are fighting with it for the past 35 years. Turkish state is not capable of entering Afrin. But it will fight. Because Turkish state sees the fact that it will lose all if it doesn’t fight” he said.
Karayilan criticized the statement by a spokesperson of the international coalition and said that the statement was provocative.
“This statement provoked Turkey, Syria and Iran against the Kurds in Rojava. After that they (US) said “We understand the concerns of Turkey” and “we have no presence in Afrin”. They mean that you (Turkey) can enter Afrin. This attitude raises concerns and suspicion” Karayilan said.
Here are some excerpts from Karayilan’s interview.“All of the world powers should know that there will be no solution in the Middle East unless Kurdish question is resolved. It’s impossible to establish a new democratic Syria without solving the Kurdish question. It’s time someone told this fact to Turkey openly and make them understand it. But they have no courage to say so. What are they afraid of? They don’t fear Turkey because it’s powerful. Turkey offers a lot of benefits to them and they know that there will be no more benefits after they say so. Bu we say, now it’s time. They should say ‘enough is enough’ against this racism.”
“We call on all the world powers not to side with fascism or become a partner with fascism against Kurds. We say this to Russia, especially to Putin: Turkey is pursuing a genocidal policy against Kurdish people. You shouldn’t be a part of this. They are committing massacres in Kurdistan, they want to commit massacres in Afrin. There are one million people living in Afrin and we know that Turkish state won’t be able to attack Afrin unless Russia gives permission.”
“The airspace is under Russian control. If Turkish planes fly over Afrin, they may even have Turkish flags on them it will mean that Russia sent in those planes. Kurdish people will see it like this.”
“Our people should know that in Afrin or in Kurdistan we will first trust in ourselves. But nobody should be a partner with Turkey’s dirty aims. They should stand against it in the name of humanity. Even if they don’t stand against it, at least they can stay away from partnership with them. Because if nobody supports Turkey or be partner with it, Turkey won’t be able to cope with Kurdish people”.
“If Kurdish people and the fighters stay together no one will be able to defeat them. Our people should know this. The enemy is not that strong. It only makes a lot of noise but it’s not strong. I believe that if AKP-MHP coalition attacks Afrin, the fighters and the people of Afrin will give them the required response. And AKP-MHP will take a historic lesson in Afrin. This is what we believe and what we hope for. AKP and MHP will be destroyed in Afrin just as AKP and ISIS were destroyed in Kobane”.
Karayılan continued with the following message to Afrin: “Everybody should know that we are behind them. And we are not only behind them but on their side. Erdogan always says Kurdish people will get closer to the sea’. The patriotic and heroic people of Afrin are there. But if Turkey attacks we won’t stand aside and watch. It won’t be a spectator just as it was not a spectator for what was happening in Kobane. We said it before: we as Kurdistan freedom fighters are responsible of defending Kurdistan”.
“There is a possibility of an attack against Afrin. But it’s not up to them. They should get a consent for it. But preparations should be made. I am calling upon all Kurdish people and youth: everybody should be ready to mobilize”.
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