Protests erupted on Tuesday both within and outside Turkey in response to the country’s military attacks on North and East Syrian regions under the Kurdish-led autonomous administration.
Turkey’s military offensives in North and East Syria, notably in Qamishli (Qamişlo), Amudê and Kobani (Kobanê), have been universally condemned, with the populations of Hasakah (Hesekê), Qahtaniyah (Tirbespîyê), Aleppo, Afrin-Shehba (Efrin-Şehba), Raqqa (Reqa), Deir ez-Zor (Dêrezor), Ain Issa (Eyn Îsa), the Euphrates region, and Manbij (Minbic) cantons voicing their disapproval. Various groups, including the Democratic Union Party (PYD) Hasakah Women’s Council, the Euphrates Region’s Democratic Self-Administration and Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM), the Raqqa Canton Lawyers Association, and more issued statements denouncing the Turkish state’s actions.
In Turkey, too, widespread protests have erupted in several cities. In Urfa (Riha), the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) organised a protest that attracted significant public and civil society support. However, police intervention attempted to disperse the assembly, with a police chief declaring, “I am the state, I do not permit this. You cannot exercise your democratic right here.”
In Mardin (Mêrdîn), the Free Women’s Movement (TJA), DEM Party, and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) issued statements amidst police opposition, with TJA Mardin spokeswoman Ayşe Bozan condemning Turkey’s bombing.
Protests continued in Van (Wan), Muş (Mûş), Siirt (Sêrt) and Şırnak (Şırnex), with DEM Party officials stressing the need for dialogue and peaceful resolution. In Muş, DEM Party official Çiçek Tutuş accused the Turkish state of committing war crimes by targeting civilian areas in North and East Syria. Similarly, in Siirt, a police blockade led to a sit-in protest by DEM Party members.
In Şırnak, DEM Party’s Cizre (Cizîr) branch protested against Turkey’s actions. Yılmaz Sanrı, a local Co-Chair, criticised the war policies of the ruling coalition of Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and called for international intervention.
