The People's Defense Units (YPG) Spokesperson Nûrî Mehmûd answered ANF's questions and evaluated the past year. Mehmûd underlined that they will continue their defence mission against the gains of the revolution and society and that the people should not have any concerns in this regard: "We defeated ISIS and we will defeat today's attacks. Victory will be ours,” he underlined.

As we leave behind another year of the revolution, as the defence forces of North-East Syria, what kind of leadership has been taken against the developments in the region?

Rojava and North-East Syria were able to present a new project to the Syrian people, the people of the Middle East and the peoples of the world with the Peoples' Spring. The YPG and YPJ, under the roof of the SDF, assumed the role of defending this project presented to the peoples of Rojava, Syria and the Middle East. We were able to defend this democratic project against the status quo forces, the AKP-MHP fascist government and the ISIS, Muslim Brotherhood, Jabhat al-Nusra and other gangs that sided with them. Our people made great sacrifices because there was a political, social and economic embargo against North-East Syria at the highest level. In order to frustrate the democratic nation project, which was the achievement of the revolution, special war organisations and structures carried out anti-propaganda against our areas at the highest level. As the Syrian Democratic Forces, from the beginning of the revolution until today, we have protected this project, which is based on the culture and morals of the society. The democratic nation project is the protection of the will and honour of the people and the democratisation of Syria. We have frustrated all the intelligence, military and political attacks of the Turkish state and the status quo states. At the same time, we presented a project for all Syrian peoples to live in a democratic system. In this sense, we reversed all attacks and conspiracies that could have nullified the gains in North-East Syria. As a result, great gains were achieved.

As defence forces, you always state that you are also responsible for the defence of the Syrian peoples. Have you had any dialogue with the peoples outside the Autonomous Administration regions this year?

Our region has always had dialogue with the Syrian people. It has always been in dialogue with the areas of North-East Syria, whether with the regions under the occupation of the invading Turkish state or with the people living in the areas under the Damascus government. If remembered, this year the people of Siwêda expressed that the Self-Government model is the most suitable model for them. Except for the areas of North-East Syria, there is no system in any part of Syria for the people to express themselves freely and organise themselves in a democratic system. Neither in the regions under the Damascus government nor in the regions occupied by the invading Turkish state, there is no such system. There is no democratic ground, let alone a system. For this reason, they do not have the freedom to express their support for the Autonomous Administration and to express their support openly.

As is known, this situation is not new. The status quo states, especially the Astana formation, openly continue to work against the system of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North-East Syria. They see it as an obstacle to themselves. They are mostly based on ISIS, the Muslim Brotherhood, Jabhat al-Nusra and gangs like these. They use them against North-East Syria. Their only aim is to liquidate the democratic system that enables all peoples to live together in a free and democratic system.

Especially in 2023, it was seen that some states do not act as states. Among these, the Turkish state acts as a mafia and terrorist state. Hakan Fidan (current Foreign Minister, former head of intelligence service) has close relations with the Taliban, Afghanistan and other states where drug trade and production are intensive. They especially use the border with North Kurdistan for this purpose. There is a lot of drug trade both within Turkey and to Syria and European countries. It also wants to develop it in Syria and North-East Syria.

You had a very comprehensive intervention in Deir ez-Zor. What results did you achieve from all these moves?

The attacks on Deir ez-Zor were very dangerous. They wanted to pit the Kurdish and Arab peoples against each other. With this sedition, they wanted to create great instability in the region and destroy the democratic nation project. It did not work out as they wanted. In Deir ez-Zor, our Arab people led this resistance. They both stood against those who abused their duties within the system and took a stand against mafia-like groups. In the same way, they showed their attitude against the gangs supported by the Damascus government. This is a people who, together with the SDF, erased ISIS from within itself. It embraced the democratic nation project that brings all peoples together. With the unity of our people and our defence forces, this plan, which was led by the Turkish state and in which the Damascus government also took part, was thwarted in three weeks. With this resistance, it has once again become clear that the people strongly support this project. The people want this project to form the basis of Syria in the future. Despite the economic, political and economic embargo, the society of North-East Syria mobilised all its means for our forces.

During this year, the areas of north-eastern Syria have been subjected to severe attacks. How far have you, as defence forces, been able to respond to these attacks?

As is well known, the Turkish state is a member of NATO and receives its support.  It uses high technology and air power. Despite this, it is unable to achieve any results against our military forces. The Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan openly announced that they would commit war crimes, that is, they would target infrastructure. They are doing this. They are targeting printing houses, wheat warehouses, power stations, factories, institutions where people meet their needs. In other words, they are targeting humanity. The European Union and NATO must finally see this. It does not comply with the international law of war and European criteria. A mafia clique, a gang has seized a strategic state today and uses it within the framework of this mentality. In this sense, the European Union, NATO and the people of Turkey, especially the Turkish people, should take measures against this.  It must be seen that Turkey is now ruled by a mafia gang. They must save Turkey from this mafia and terror regime.

Your struggle against ISIS continued this year as well. You made effective moves, especially against ISIS cells. What level have you reached in the fight against ISIS?

Our fight against ISIS has been going on since the beginning of the revolution. As it is known, thousands of ISIS members are in our prisons. Again, the families of nearly 50 thousand ISIS members are in Hol Camp. All these pose a great danger in the area. In addition, there are fronts with gangs in the areas occupied by the invading Turkish state. Again, some areas of the Damascus government, such as Tedmur, are the back fronts for the gangs, and they constantly create space for ISIS. In other words, the existence of these areas, prisons and camps already poses a great danger. The unresolved issue of establishing a court for the members of these groups in the prisons, the creation of a rehabilitation program for these people in the camps and the existence of these regions, which act as a hinterland and create logistical and transit areas for ISIS, increase the danger even more. As long as these issues are not resolved, ISIS will always have cells in these regions. Of course, the International Coalition has clearly seen this situation. The international community needs to take new decisions against ISIS.

There are more than 10 thousand ISIS members in our prisons. If they are released, they can bring ten times more members to ISIS. Besides, there are more than 50 thousand children living in the Hol Camp. These children are raised by families with an ISIS mentality. All of them grow up as potential ISIS. There are no world-class measures against them. Besides, there are gangs sheltering in the regions occupied by the Turkish state. The Turkish state, with the support of the EU and NATO, keeps ISIS alive in these regions.

They pose a danger not only to us but also to the world. In this sense, our struggle to completely destroy ISIS continues at the highest level. Therefore, it has not succeeded in organising itself strongly in our areas until today. It can only form its cells. All their attempts to create a conflict came to naught. There have been attempts to take action against the prisons, which have failed, but ISIS has not stopped, it continues. Its continuation in this way poses a great danger. This situation gives hope to its supporters for ISIS to rebuild itself. This danger exists, from Europe to Asia and America. ISIS still has the potential to reconstitute itself. In this sense, an approach according to the standards of the world and the International Coalition should be developed and ISIS members in prisons must be prosecuted. Again, an approach should be taken towards the families of 50 thousand ISIS members according to international laws. These people should be reintegrated into society and their sociology must be organised. In the same way, it is necessary to take an approach according to international law against the states that support ISIS.

What is your goal as defence forces as we enter 2024?

There is no doubt that there is a model in the North-East Syrian regions today. This is the model of society. The main task of our forces is to protect the achievements and goals of society. We will fulfil our duty of defence against the gains of the revolution and society. We will fulfill our defence duties against all fascist and racist attacks. Our people should have no worries in this regard. We will continue to follow the path of our martyrs. From our first martyr until today, we have always remained faithful to their memories. In this sense, our people should also strengthen their organisation against all these, expand and strengthen their institutions. Only a strong organisation can lead to success against all kinds of attacks. Loyalty to the lives of martyrs, loyalty to the goals of the revolution, loyalty to the democratic nation system will only lead us to success. We defeated ISIS and we will defeat today's attacks. Victory will be ours