Women’s Defence Units (YPJ) Spokeswoman Ruksen Mihamed and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi condemned Turkey’s “genocidal attacks” in northern Syria and called for increased international solidarity in a speech at the Catalan Parliament on Thursday.
The conference, organised by the Foreign Affairs Commission, was held on the second anniversary of the Catalan Parliament’s official recognition of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), under which the SDF and YPJ operate.
The Catalan Parliament’s recognition of the AANES “has provided very important support”, Abdi said.
Abdi called for increased international support for the AANES to be able to continue to operate and improve the basic infrastructure in the region, amid attacks by the Turkish and Syrian government forces.
While the Kurdish-led SDF and the peoples of northern Syria have fought and managed to get the Islamic State (ISIS) under control, the current situation continues to pose a danger to the civilian population due to Turkey’s targeting of civilian infrastructure, the SDF commander continued.
Turkey accuses the Kurdish-led administration for an attack on the Turkish police headquarters in Ankara on 2 October, saying the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants who assumed responsibility for the attack had travelled to the Turkish capital from AANES territories.
“We have no relation to it”, Abdi said, repeating his rejection of Turkey’s allegations.
“They used it as an excuse to attack civilian settlements and infrastructure under the autonomous administration.”
Turkey’s “genocidal” attacks in the previous week killed 10 civilians and 36 members of the autonomous administration’s security forces, according to Abdi. Among the targets were schools and supply stations, and overall “very important places for the survival of the population”.
Meanwhile, Syrian forces under President Bashar al-Assad continue to attack the region as well, “because we have a project that is accepted by the Kurdish and Arab peoples alike”, he added.
Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip “diverts attention” and gives Turkey more leeway to increase its attacks on AANES territory, YPJ’s Ruksen Mihamed said.
Both officials called on the international community to increase pressure on Turkey to stop attacks on the region, which aim to “damage a large source of income” and force the residents out of the region.
The YPJ’s focus on the women of northern Syria is under attack, Mihamed continued.
“Women have played a leading role in organising society and building institutions,” she said. “(Turkey’s policies of war) have highlighted this need for women to self-organise and form defences.”
