Turkey’s military operations that were launched on 9 February in the Garê mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan continue. People in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), also known as Rojava, have continued to protest against the Turkish offensive.
According to the latest statement by the People’s Defence Force (HPG), the clashes in the Siyanê area have been continuing since 10 February whilst Turkish fighter jets have continued to operate over the Garê area.
Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense (MSB) announced that two soldiers of the Turkish Armed Forces lost their lives in the clashes. The HPG has announced that the death toll of the Turkish Armed Forces exceeds 30.
People of North and East Syria took to the streets in different towns in Rojava to protest against Turkey’s ongoing Garê offensive. A march was held in Kobanê. Mustafa Eto and Hedle Hesen made statements during the protest on behalf of the Kobanê Canton Council and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), respectively.
In their speeches, they stated that Turkey’s operations on Garê mountains are the continuation of the ’15 February 1999 plot’. The 15 February 1999 date refers to the day when the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan was arrested.
“The occupying states try to eliminate the status that we have achieved here”, they said. During the march in the Shehba canton, local people and the refugees from Afrin (Efrîn) chanted slogans supporting the resistance against Turkey’s offensive.
