RIHA - Turkey is committing war crimes by targeting settlements in northern and eastern Syria, “All excuses are empty. The people who are building a common life here are being targeted,” journalist Şervan Mehmûd said.  

 

The attacks launched by Turkey against Northern and Eastern Syria on October 23 continue. According to the Syrian Democratic Council (MSD), 27 people were killed and 48 were injured in the attacks. The Press Liaison Center of the Internal Security Forces also reported that Turkey launched 685 attacks on the region with warplanes and artillery shelling. Factories, oil offices, water and electricity production sites were among the targets.

 

Şervan Mehmûd, a journalist in Northern and Eastern Syria, commented on the attacks and the latest situation in the region. Stating that the timing of Turkey's attacks is striking, Şervan Mehmûd reminded that the region was also targeted after the protests organized during the “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan and democratic solution to the Kurdish issue” campaign launched last year. 

“For a year, there was a great resistance in all 4 parts of Kurdistan to end the isolation. The people in Rojava also put up a great struggle against isolation. As a result of this resistance, Leader Öcalan had a meeting with Ömer Öcalan, a member of his family. Even this meeting alone has given great hope to the Kurdish people. We can see from the first words of Leader Öcalan that he is still waging a great struggle for peace. Despite this, Turkey organized genocidal attacks on Rojava,” Şervan Mehmûd said. 

 

'WAR CRIMES ARE BEING COMMITTED'

 

Şervan Mehmûd stated that the Autonomous Administration is the solution to the problems of the people and this is the main reason for the attacks. Pointing out that the areas where the basic needs of the people are met in civilian settlements are targeted, Şervan Mehmûd noted that war crimes are committed with the attacks. “A massacre is being imposed on a population of 6 million people living in Northern and Eastern Syria. There is a war in front of the eyes of the whole world. There is a reaction to Israel's attacks on Palestine and Lebanon, but there is silence against the attacks here,” he said.   

 

'COMMON LIFE IS BEING TARGETED' 

 

Pointing out that Kurds, Arabs, Turkmens, Armenians and Assyrians live together in Northern and Eastern Syria, Şervan Mehmûd said: “These attacks are not the first time. These peoples have faced many similar attacks before. Turkey wants to change the demography with these attacks and continues this plan of change. Turkey has put forward many excuses for the attacks. But all of them turn out to be lies and hollow. Here, the peoples who are building a common life are being targeted. For example, 7 Arab citizens were martyred in an oil office targeted in Sewedê. This shows that Turkey is in a genocide plan not only against Kurds but also against all peoples who embrace the Rojava Revolution.” 

 

PEOPLE'S RESISTANCE  

 

Saying that hundreds of thousands stood up against the attacks, Şervan Mehmûd continued as follows: “Peoples have always known how to give the same response to these attacks. The peoples once again sent the message that they will never be separated from their history, culture and homeland. Production and education continue in the autonomous administration in the midst of war. This will continue to be the case from now on. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets against the attacks, chanting slogans such as 'Resistance or resistance'.” 

 

MA / Ceylan Şahinli