The celebration for the 10th anniversary of the Women’s Asayish (internal security forces) was attended by hundreds of women, including members and commanders of the forces and representatives of military councils, women’s organisations and political parties in Raqqa on 30 June.
Spokesperson for the Kongra Star women’s movement Rîhan Loqo congratulated all women in North and East Syria on the occasion of the anniversary, and remembered the thousands of women who have fallen martyr while protecting the region from attacks from ISIS and the Turkish state. After the speech, awards were presented to members of the Women’s Special Anti-Drugs Units.
The celebration continued with a speech by Evîn Siwêd, co-chair of the Executive Council of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). Siwêd remarked that women have become the “symbol and vanguard of the revolution in Rojava”, and that their struggle to “challenge misconceptions about women in society in North and East Syria and change society’s views on women” has achieved great success while it still continues. She recalled the importance of organising the community’s self-defence and noted also that the organised struggle of women in North and East Syria has become an inspiration for women all over the world.
The celebration ended with musical performances and traditional Kurdish and Arab dancing. The civilian self-defence structures are an important part of the AANES, and consist of local citizens who take responsibility for protecting their own neighbourhood by setting up their own security systems.
