The mothers of Kurdish fighters who live in Kobane spoke to Jin News regarding the ongoing attacks in North and East Syria and recent Turkish military cross-border operations against Garê region in Iraqi Kurdistan, The mothers shared a message of resistance saying, “We do not accept the attacks of the Turkish state and its partners, and we will increase our struggle together with the resistance of our children.”
Turkish military forces launched an operation they called ‘Claw-Eagle 2’ on 10 February against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters in Iraqi Kurdistan in the region of Mount Gare. Turkish authorities announced that the operation had ended on 14 February with the death of thirteen Turkish soldiers, police officers and intelligence officers, who were held captive by the People’s Defence Forces’ (HPG) camps.
Silêman: We are proud of our children
Edul Silêman, whose son is a fighter with the Kurdish guerilla forces stated that the Turkish state wrongly describes their children, the guerrilla fighters in the mountains as terrorists and that the mothers are proud of their children. “We are the mothers, our hearts have been suffering for years, but we are also proud of our children. We always support their struggle. We will fight with our children if there is an attack on Shengal, Ayn Issa or Medya Defense Zones in Kurdistan,” she said.
“We are the Kurdish people, we want our rights like everyone else. We will always support our Leader, our freedom and the struggle of our children. It should be reminded that we are the YPG (People’s Protection Units), YPJ (Women’s Protection Units), SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces), guerrilla and we are fighting for our rights.”
Hemed: We raised our children with the philosophy of Leader Öcalan
Another Kurdish guerrilla’s mother, İslim Hemed expressed her reaction against the attacks targeting Kurdish people. “We condemn the attacks launched in partnership of Turkey and the Barzani’s government as the mothers of the guerrillas. Turkey has aggressively attacked Rojava, Sinjar,, Medya Defense Zones, North and South Kurdistan. Do they have the right to attack our land?” she said.
“We raised our children with the philosophy of Leader Öcalan. We are the followers of the struggle of our children. I am the mother of a martyred guerilla and now every guerrilla on the mountain is my child. We will be the holders of the victory. Erdoğan will lose this war just like he lost on Mount Gare.”
Hebeş: Erdoğan and Barzani got stuck on Gare
Fatma Sileyman Hebeş lost her daughter in the war. “We know that the Turkish state and international states are partners fighting against us. This war is waged in the whole Middle East and four parts of Kurdistan. Attacks are carried out in other guerrilla areas with the partnership of the Turkish state and Barzani. We condemn these attacks,” said Hebeş..
“The Turkish state is such a state that it shot its own police, soldiers and agents. While the guerrillas have done nothing against the prisoners who have been in their hands for 6 to 9 years, when the soldiers of Erdoğan and Barzani got stuck in Gare, their only solution was to shoot their own soldiers.”
She finally stressed her support for the freedom struggle of Kurds. “As the Kurdish people, we want our rights, like every nation. As a martyred guerrilla mother, I am a follower of my daughter’s struggle, and we will continue our struggle until we get our rights,” she said and referred to the struggle of mothers by referring to the Saturday Mothers and Peace Mothers. “These mothers were also imprisoned for supporting their children, and condemning the attacks. Leyla Güven, the symbol of resistance for women and Ayşe Gökkan, who resisted for the women’s struggle were also arrested. Despite all of these attacks, we have been fighting continuously for 40 years for our rights to be recognised,” she said.
