YPG (People’s Defense Forces) Spokesperson Nuri Mehmud answered ANF's questions about the objectives of a possible invasion operation and their preparations against it.

-What is the current situation concerning the invasion threats against North and East Syria?

The AKP/MHP regime, which has seized Turkish institutions and organizations, continues to threaten northern and eastern Syria. The threats of the Turkish state, which wants to realise its neo-Ottoman dream through mercenaries such as ISIS and al-Qaeda, are not new. However, the Turkish state declared on 1 June its intention to occupy both Rojava and Southern Kurdistan. Thus, it aims to eliminate the Kurdish identity, democracy and the struggle for freedom and to destroy the unity of peoples. For this purpose, South Kurdistan and the region of North and East Syria were intensively targeted in 2022. Erdoğan is making threats to cover up his defeat in the Middle East and worldwide, as well as the economic, political, legal and diplomatic crisis in Turkey. In this context, he is trying to prove himself and make the issue of defeat go away by targeting northern and eastern Syria.

The fascist AKP/MHP regime has no choice but war. It cannot develop a healthy economy, diplomacy and policy for the people of Turkey. To this end, it is terrorising the Middle East and European countries. The peoples of northern and eastern Syria have unmasked this terror. Kobanê is not the only target. The target is Rojava and northern and eastern Syria in general. The regime forces are targeting the peoples who believe in democracy and a free life with dignity. We cannot distinguish between this region and that region. Erdoğan wants, above all, to wipe people who believe in freedom off the face of the earth. He sees these people as a threat to his government and regime. For this reason, the threats have never abated. The AKP/MHP has not stopped using all means to attack the peoples, institutions and organisations of Turkey. A new attack is being prepared. The attacks have never stopped anyway. The planes fly over Rojava/North and East Syria every day around the clock. In addition, artillery attacks target, injure and kill children. Civilians are the target.

The Turkish state continues to increase its attacks on the region. Is their main goal 'border security' as they claim?

There are currently three projects in Syria. The first project is the unity of the peoples, a democratic organisation in which all identities can express themselves. The second is the regime in Damascus, which Russia and Iran want to keep alive. The third project is Erdoğan's Misak-ı Milli (National Pact), the Ottoman dream embodied by the mentality of ISIS, al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood. Consequently, the latter two projects aim to advance their own interests and deepen the war. However, the project being implemented in northern and eastern Syria is a people-based system in which the people govern themselves. The project in northern and eastern Syria is a major obstacle to the other two projects.

The SDF-YPG-YPJ are forces established at the request of society and for building democracy, freedom and a life of dignity. They are forces that defend society and its goals. When we think of the SDF, YPG and YPJ, we are not thinking of just one force, but of society. They are the whole society in northern and eastern Syria. The revolution became a project and attracted the attention of the world. Because it saved the world from the danger of ISIS and created a new project for Syria. The regional states believe that creating a democratic foundation in Syria will have an impact on their own countries. That is why our project is in their sights. That is why the YPG, the YPJ and the SDF are being attacked. The unity of identities, the common will, democracy and the struggle for freedom in the region are wanted destroyed. Because the YPG, the YPJ and the SDF are the defenders of this policy.

-What kind of struggle roadmap will you draw based on the experiences you have obtained from the battles you participated previously?

After the destruction of ISIS, the Turkish state directly went into action because the AKP/MHP regime is the source of ISIS terror. The destruction of ISIS meant the drying up of Erdoğan's influence in the region. For this reason, the Turkish state openly invaded Syria under its own name and attacked Afrin. Actually, we had imagined it differently. Our people protected the world from the threat of ISIS and the international powers in the region should not have allowed such an invasion. But it was about political interests. Our revolutionary people's war and our legitimate defensive war were not so strong at that time.

Until then, we had been fighting against ISIS, but in Afrin we were fighting against an army. We were fighting an army that was highly equipped with NATO technology and targeting the civilian population. We faced an attack that targeted the entire infrastructure, from schools to hospitals to homes. For this reason, our legitimate self-defence was not able to fight against an entire army. On the other hand, we were convinced that international law, morality and conscience would protect our revolution. But the existing governments supported Erdoğan and pursued their own interests. Because of the alliance with Erdoğan, Afrin, Girê Spî and Serêkaniye were simply dropped. After the peoples of northern and eastern Syria and our forces understood this attitude of the international powers, it became clear that the people and the defence forces had to stand on their own feet, that as long as they did not organise themselves, they would be exposed to the interest politics of the international community.

How will you resist if Turkish forces attack? What is the extent of the preparations?

In Rojava and northern and eastern Syria, the main force of resistance is not the military forces, but the people. Self-defence takes place on the basis of social morals and ethics. The sons and daughters of this people are defending this land. The people are also consulted on the question of positions for war and their position is taken into account. Accordingly, the positions are built. It is the people who are resisting. In particular, the SDF, the YPG, the YPJ, who have organised themselves within the framework of legitimate defence, have made preparations at the highest level.

In northern and eastern Syria, not only the defence forces but also the communities and institutions in the region have developed a system and a way of waging war based on their own strength. Just as our people waged the revolutionary people's war in Til Koçer, Til Zîro, Serêkaniyê and Şexmeqsud and achieved success, they will also be successful in the upcoming attacks. After the success of the revolutionary people's war in the battle for Kobanê, regional and international powers participated in the war. No one except the people and our defence forces fought against ISIS and achieved success. For this reason, after the Kobanê war, there was the impression that international forces were coming to the region and that there was no reason to fight anymore. But then it became clear that when it comes to Turkey and the AKP/MHP regime, international powers bring their own interests into play. Faced with this situation, the people insisted on the revolutionary people's war. Because the international community has not taken responsibility for Rojava and North-East Syria. Therefore, we have to fulfil our own duties and responsibilities. In the occupation of Afrin, no international power and no institution or organisation belonging to them went to the region. In comparison, in Ukraine, the international community is providing support in every way and even providing military equipment. The revolutionary people's war requires organised participation, and the revolutionary people's war does not require a large number of fighters. What we need is organisation. We have developed tactics and strategies to fight against sophisticated technology. If there is a ground attack, then we have a new way of waging war. There should not be a disorganised population in northern and eastern Syria. There must be social organisation and people must know what their roles and responsibilities are. From business to health, from education to the community, everyone should know what their role is.