As Turkey continues to attack PKK targets in the Zap, Metina and Avashin regions located in Iraqi Kurdistan, the semi-autonomous region ruled by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Kurds living in North East Syria launched a protest against the Turkish offensive and the KDP’s aggression towards the Kurdish fighters of the armed wings of the PKK.
Tens of thousands of people on Monday 15 June took to the streets of Qamishli (Qamislo) and Kobani (Kobanê). The two Kurdish-majority cities have become iconic for the resistance of the Kurdish-led Peoples’ Defense Units (YPG) and the Women’s Defense Units (YPJ) against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Mothers of Kurdish fighters also took part in the march in Qamishli and voiced their reactions against the attitude of the KDP towards their children who are currently in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan. “We call out to them: Enough is enough! Stay away from our children,” said Xalya Necar, a mother in the march.
“Stay away, because they are fighting for the freedom of the Kurdish people and the freedom of oppressed peoples. We say to them that you cannot separate the guerrilla from the people. We will stand by our children until we give our last breath,” she said.
Menîca Heyder, mother of a Kurdish fighter, also shared her feelings: “Brutal attacks against the guerrilla have been ongoing for a while now. Turkey uses chemical weapons in its attacks. The whole world and the South Kurdistan administration are silent about this situation. We condemn the attitude of the KDP.”
Another Kurdish mother stressed that all Kurds should oppose Turkey’s offensive with one voice. “Anyone who says that they are Kurds, anyone who embraces their identity should oppose Erdoğan and stand up for their people. We will support our friends in all villages and cities. Just like they ‘came with the horses and left on foot,’ it will be the same in Haftanin and Zap. We will succeed,” she said.
