The Turkish state’s invasion operations continue in both Southern and Northern Kurdistan. The Turkish state has created the village guards through economic ties, and makes them lead the operations. The village guards also participate in the most recent invasion of the South.

YJA-Star (Free Women's Troops) guerillas from the families of the village guards, who participate in the operations in the Bradost region of Southern Kurdistan and are pushed forth to die, spoke to ANF and called on their families, warning them that they should lay down the Turkish state’s weapons at once.

THE VILLAGE GUARD SYSTEM IS AN IMPERIALIST TRADITION

YJA-Star guerrilla Berxwedan Serhat said her family is part of the village guard system and called on her family who are held by the Turkish state with economic ties. Guerrilla Serhat said the Turkish state uses a method utilized by all imperialist states, namely to create poverty and take the people under their control through it, and has created the village guard system in the same way. Serhat stressed that the village guard is a continuation of the Hamidiye Regiments tradition: “Unfortunately, there are families who are caught in the wheels of this system. One of them is my own family,” said Serhat and added: “My family needs financial means to continue their existence among society, and they live reliant on the state’s financial resources. This is a great lack of awareness.” Serhat concluded by saying they as Kurdish freedom fighters will liberate their lands and called on her family to “lay down arms”.

“LAY DOWN THE STATE’S WEAPONS”

YJA-Star guerrilla Rojîn Serhildan from Rojhilat (eastern Kurdistan) said members of her family are also mercenaries and that her family has caused the loss of many guerrilla lives. Serhildan said she took to the mountains against her family: “A part of the war we wage is against our families. That creates a difficult situation. Here our comrades are martyred, and we see that our families have a role in it. That creates an unacceptable situation.” Guerilla Serhildan concluded with stressing that her family should lay down arms: “Lay down the weapons you were given, but that is not enough, pick up the weapons of our party.”

"DON'T SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO THE TURKISH ARMY"

Another YJA-Star guerrilla Zîlan Goyî from the important Botan region of Northern Kurdistan said the following on the dirty policy that is the village guard in Botan: “The village guards play the biggest role in the war. They are our brothers and our uncles. The rich don’t send their children to the army in Turkey, but the Kurds who were forced to depend on state money are recruited for money.”

Goyî spoke about the operation to invade the South and said: “Village guards participate in the operation in the Hakurk (Xakurkê) region. The reason they include the village guards is to make brother kill brother. That is another method of massacre.” Guerilla Goyî concluded with calling on her family: “The people you will encounter when you go on operations are your own children. They are us. What we want isn’t just our own freedom, but the freedom of you and our people.”