In a written statement regarding the Turkish state’s invasion attacks on North-East Syria, KONGRA-GEL Co-Presidency Council called Turkey’s deliberate targeting of the civilian population at the Tishrin Dam “terrorist attacks” that are completely unacceptable.
Strongly protesting the attacks, KONGRA-GEL called on international organizations to fulfill their responsibilities against “these terrorist attacks that have no place in any law.”
The KONGRA-GEL statement on Monday said the following: “The people of northern and eastern Syria lost thousands of martyrs to stop ISIS attacks and make them fail, protecting all humanity against this savagery. At that time, the international community fulfilled its humanitarian duty by standing up against ISIS.
What ISIS did in the past is now being done directly by the Turkish state and its SNA mercenaries against the people of Rojava. The international community must take an urgent moral and conscientious stance against these terrorist attacks by the Turkish state. Remaining silent in the face of these attacks will lead to greater massacres. As in the past, the international community should give hope and confidence to all humanity with its sensitivity on this issue.
We salute with respect the will of the peoples of North and East Syria against the mercenary attacks led directly by the Turkish state. No power can defeat this will that is locked on a free and dignified life. We salute with respect and gratitude the folk artist Bavê Teyar (Cuma Xelîl) and all our other martyrs who fell during the vigil at the Tishrin Dam. The orphaned baby Tala has also become one of the symbols of this resistance.
We appeal to all our people living in the country and abroad. The resistance around the Tishrin Dam and Qereqozax Bridge and the resistance in Kobanê have similar strategic importance. We must frustrate the plans of the forces that aim to destroy the achievements of our people, or to narrow them if possible. Protecting the achievements of the Rojava revolution is the first official step towards the overthrow of Turkish state fascism. It is the culmination of the struggle for democracy and freedom carried out within the framework of the ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, a political solution to the Kurdish question’ campaign.
We call on our people living in the country and abroad and our international friends to mobilize in every field they are in to support the Rojava revolution. We must first raise our voices to mobilize international public opinion.
2025 will be a final year in which the anti-Kurdish fascism is defeated and freedom and democracy triumph. With this belief, enthusiasm and excitement, we call on everyone to mobilize for Rojava.”
In other news, the co-presidency of the KCK Executive Council issued a statement about the necessity to oppose the ongoing attacks by the Turkish state and its SNA in order to build a sovereign, united, and democratic Syria.
The statement also highlights that the Turkish state is deliberately attacking civilians at the Tishrin dam, and commemorates those who gave their lives.
The statement said: “After the fall of the Baathist regime in Syria, the genocidal colonialist Turkish state has intensified its invasion attacks, focusing on the Qereqozakh bridge and the Tishrin dam. In its attacks, the Turkish state is also deliberately targeting civilians and unarmed people who are flocking to Tishrin to protect the dam from being further attacked. In the most recent airstrikes against the civilian population, six people were murdered and dozens were wounded.
We strongly condemn the Turkish state’s occupation and its inhuman attacks against the people. And we pay tribute to all the martyrs of Tishrin who gave their lives defending their country against occupation. They are the martyrs of the people of Rojava, North and East Syria, all of Syria, and all of Kurdistan. It is the most essential demand that every patriot must place on herself/himself to be loyal to the martyrs, to continue the path they have taken, and to further develop the struggle they have led. The fact that the people of North and East Syria continue to flock to Tishrin without showing any fear despite the attacks is an expression of this very patriotic loyalty.”
The statement added: “Cuma Xelîl (commonly known as Bave Teyar), a well-known and beloved artist-actor among the Kurdish people, expressed this mentality shortly before he gave his life in the attacks at Tishrin. He gave a statement in which he delivered a message addressed to the genocidal colonialist Turkish state, saying, “We do not fear you! We will always resist, no matter what it may take!” He thereby expressed the attitude of the Kurdish people and all the peoples of North and East Syria. We commemorate him and bow with respect to his courage, commitment, and sacrifice. The peoples of Northe and East Syria must continue to flock to Tishrin and defend the legacy of their martyrs strongly. All peoples and democratic forces, especially the patriotic people of Kurdistan, must stand in even stronger solidarity with the people of North and East Syria, protesting the attacks of the Turkish state and its mercenaries and gangs under the name of SNA everywhere. We call on everyone to take action on this basis.”
The statement continued: “The attacks by the Turkish state and its SNA target the hope and aspirations of the peoples, the hopes for the end of the war and conflicts in Syria after the fall of the Baath regime and the reconstruction of a democratic Syria where all peoples will live together equally. The Turkish state carries out these attacks to prevent the development of a democratic Syria. Therefore, everyone who favors a democratic Syria and the unity of Syria must see this danger and oppose the attacks of the Turkish state. The attacks by the Turkish state and its SNA are against the sovereignty of the Syrian people and international law. Whichever way one looks at it, these attacks are illegitimate, cause massacres, and serve the Turkish occupationist aspirations. For this reason, it is unacceptable to remain blind, deaf, and silent to these attacks. The UN, of which Syria is a member, the Arab League, and the coalition forces in Syria must no longer remain silent and take a stance against the attacks and massacres of the Turkish state.”
The HPG (People’s Defense Forces) and YJA Star (Free Women’s Units) guerrillas continue to resist the Turkish attacks on the Medya Defense Areas in South Kurdistan. According to the HPG, three Turkish soldiers were killed this week during guerrilla actions in the contested Girê Amêdî area.
The HPG Press Center provided the following details of the week of war that just ended:
Guerrilla air attacks against Turkish military camps
The Şehîd Axîn Mûş guerrilla unit has attacked Turkish military camps in the western Zap region from the air. On January 15, a container in the Girê Amêdî resistance area was destroyed by a drone, and on January 16, a tent in the Girê Bahar area was destroyed.
Three soldiers killed west of Zap
In the Girê Amêdî area on the western front of the Zap region, three more guerrilla actions have taken place in the past few days. On Tuesday, two snipers from the Turkish army were killed; their position was reportedly completely destroyed using “special techniques”. On the same day, the guerrillas fired heavy weapons at an armored vehicle equipped with an electronic system. The electronic system was destroyed, and the vehicle had to retreat. On Wednesday, YJA Star guerrillas attacked a Turkish squad with semi-automatic weapons that was trying to secure a military position with NATO wire. A soldier was killed as a result of the action.
Resistance in Metîna
The guerrilla resistance also continues in Metîna. At the beginning of the week, a Turkish army artillery position was attacked and damaged with semi-automatic weapons. On Friday night, the guerrillas destroyed a camera trap installed by Turkish soldiers in the Şêlazê resistance area.
Attacks by the Turkish army
The HPG reports that explosive drones were used five times and prohibited explosives were used 19 times by the Turkish army against the guerrilla tunnel systems in the Girê FM area in the Zap region and in Şêlazê in Metîna. In addition, a total of forty air strikes were carried out on areas in the Xakurke, Gare, Metîna and Zap regions between January 14 and 17.