Guerrillas from the HPG (People’s Defense Forces) and YJA Star (Free Women’s Troops) spoke to ANF on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the International Conspiracy against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. The founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) was abducted from Kenya on 15 February 1999 with the cooperation of international secret services and handed over to Turkey, where he has been subjected to inhumane treatment and held in isolation since.

HPG guerrilla Dilxwaz Teyî stated that the conspiracy was developed against the Kurdish people in the person of their leader and said: "The aim of the conspiracy was to dispossess the Kurdish people of their language, culture, and their right to live as Kurds and to subject them to genocide. It sought to ignore the demands for equality and freedom of all oppressed peoples in the person of the Kurdish people. There has never been an act of self-immolation or sacrifice for a leader in history. People from many different walks of life sacrificed themselves without any hesitation for the freedom of Rêber Apo (Leader Abdullah Öcalan), saying 'You cannot darken our sun'.”

‘We draw great strength from the struggle of our leader’

Dilxwaz Teyî continued: "We draw great strength from the struggle of our leader under all circumstances. As Kurdistan Freedom Guerrillas and Rêber Apo's militants, we struggle and fight in the mountains for the best we can. The recent actions are an expression of how great the will and belief of the guerrilla are. These actions have devastated the fascist Turkish army and strengthened the hand of our leader. It has also been a great answer to those who consider themselves Kurds but are actually traitors, those who sell their honor for two pennies. We believe that the physical freedom of the leader will be realized in 2024."

‘We will never allow the enemy to achieve its goal in Kurdistan’

YJA Star guerrilla Militan Zagros pointed out that hegemonic powers are afraid of Öcalan’s paradigm based on equality and freedom for all peoples and the oppressed. Noting that Öcalan’s ideas have spread all over the world and weakened the state mind and system, Zagros said: "The state suffocates, impoverishes and suppresses society so much that the ideas of the Leader have spread everywhere like a sea. Societies see their freedom in the ideology of our leader. As his militants, we promise to increase our struggle. The guerrilla actions in the Medya Defense Zones have devastated the fascist Turkish state. 2024 will be a year that guarantees the physical freedom of our leader. We have great faith in this. We will never allow the enemy to achieve its goal in Kurdistan."

Öcalan’s ideology transcended the Middle East and became universal

HPG guerrilla Derwêş Kaziwa remarked that the Kurdish People's Leader frustrated the conspiracy through his resistance and production, and that his ideology transcended the Middle East and became universal. Noting that the guerrillas struck the fascist Turkish army under all circumstances, Kaziwa said: "The guerrillas have the psychological superiority in the war. Kurdistan does not belong to the Turkish state, which sends its soldiers to Kurdistan to fight. There is no part of Kurdistan to be given to the Turkish state. Kurdistan will be a grave for Turkish troops, which is indeed happening."

‘The physical freedom of the leader means the freedom of the Kurdish people’

Kaziwa emphasized that it is not enough just to condemn the conspiracy in the current process, and it is now necessary to overcome it, adding: "Everyone should contribute according to their strength. The guerrillas are carrying out very strong actions. In the revolutionary people's war, the people and the guerrillas must complement each other. The physical freedom of the leader means the freedom of the Kurdish people; the freedom of the Kurdish people means the freedom of the peoples of the world."

'We are assertive and determined in our struggle'

HPG guerrilla Amed Bashûrî emphasized the influence of Abdullah Öcalan on the peoples of the Middle East and Kurdistan and said the following: "The Turkish state is imposing isolation within isolation in order to destroy the bond between the people and our leader. As guerrillas and people, we do not accept this. Our comrades are on hunger strike in prisons. The campaign launched by our movement has attracted a great deal of attention. Many people around the world are demonstrating for our leader and the guerrillas are carrying out major actions in the mountains. We are assertive and determined in our struggle. No force can alienate us from our leader. Our spirituality is our leader and our martyred comrades. If we do not hear from Rêber Apo, our actions will continue with greater impact."