The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) issued a statement on Saturday urging the public and its institutions to engage in “self-defence” against ongoing Turkish military actions in the region.
The statement comes after recent intense clashes in the Zap area of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and Turkey’s targeted attacks on service centres and infrastructure in North and East Syria.
The DAANES described these attacks as attempts “to undermine the security of the region, pose a real threat to anti-terrorism efforts and hinder the resolution of existing conditions”. The statement labelled these actions as a continuation of a “genocidal line, displacement of residents and emptying of the region”. The DAANES declared the need to stop these attacks, which they see as threatening the entire region and inadvertently aiding the resurgence of terrorism.
The statement calls on “all active forces in Syria to recognise the dangers of these illegal attacks and their negative consequences on efforts to stabilise the region.” The DAANES also highlighted that these attacks affect efforts for a democratic solution and the ability to root out terrorism and extremism.
“We call upon our institutions to uphold our defence and self-defence. Fulfil your duties to protect the project of a democratic nation, the brotherhood of peoples and shared living. The project of our people, their will and determination is the path to success and to defeating all projects of genocide,” the DAANES said in their conclusion.
This condemnation from the DAANES comes amid ongoing Turkish military operations against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) positions in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, which have recently resulted in significant Turkish military casualties. The Turkish government’s response to these losses includes an emergency security meeting called by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, scheduled to take place in Istanbul.
