KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council Co-presidency has published a statement on the first anniversary of Turkish invasion of the northern Syrian city of Afrin.

Full text of the KCK statement reads as follows:

"A year has passed since the invasion of Afrin. With his attack, the Turkish state aimed to destroy the democratic model of society, which was built on the principle of women's emancipation, and occupied Afrin. The people of Afrin put up a historic resistance against this occupation offensive, which had nothing in it but genocide. Well over a thousand people, especially women, children and the elderly, died during the invasion. We commemorate all those who lost their lives in the resistance to their city, with deep respect and gratitude. The Kurdish people will never accept this genocidal occupation and liberate Afrin.

War Crimes in Afrin

Afrin, with all its districts and surroundings, is a Kurdish city. In the course of its occupation, the Turkish state has expelled hundreds of thousands of Kurds from Afrin. In the villages, districts and in the center of the city Turkey-affiliated militias and their relatives were settled. The inhabitants of the city, who nevertheless insisted on staying in their homes, are being driven away by use of repressive methods. International institutions have also confirmed that the inhabitants of Afrin are being systematically displaced by oppression, violence and torture in order to "dekurdify" the city. At this very moment, too, the Turkish state is changing the demographics of the region in the eyes of the international public, committing a genocide crime. Before the invasion, the Kurds formed the majority of the population with 95 percent. A year later, there are only about 15-20 percent Kurds in Afrin. This reality shows that a genocide was committed in Afrin.

United Nations, EU, US and Russia encouraged the invasion

While the Turkish state was killing civilians in Afrin with its air and ground forces, the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia stood by and watched these invasion and genocide. Their attitude paved the way for the occupation and encouraged it. By opening the airspace over Afrin, Russia has been an accomplice in the first degree. Due to a dirty agreement between Russia and the Turkish state, evacuated jihadists and their families were settled in Afrin from Ghouta, which today make up the majority of the inhabitants. In the districts near the Turkish border almost exclusively Islamists were accommodated, who act on direct order from Ankara. These places have already become a part of Turkey.

Turkey - enemy of the Kurds and democracy

With the invasion of Afrin, Turkey has made it clear its hostility against the Kurdish people and democracy, and its stand against the existence freedom and democratic life of the Kurds, and against democracy not only within their borders, but in the entire Middle East. Turkey has two principles both inside and outside. First, enmity towards the existence and free life of the Kurds. And second, enmity towards democracy. As soon as it is confronted with these two facts, Ankara behaves like a wild bull who sees a red cloth.

The target of the occupation offensive: democratic system

In parallel with the attacks on the Kurdish people and the democratic circles in Northern Kurdistan, the fascist AKP/MHP government has set itself the goal of attacking Manbij and the democratic system in northern Syria. The occupation offensive is designed to smash the democratic system that was built by Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs and other peoples of the region. As already happened in Afrin, the goal is to settle its allied mercenaries in Rojava and Northern Syria, dekurdify these areas and create a sectarian and fascist order.

With this mentality and policy, the AKP/MHP government shows that it is the guardian of fundamentalism, not only in Turkey, but throughout the Middle East. In order to prevent the democratization of Syria and the Middle East and the consequent destruction of the genocidal, colonialist and inhumane orders, Turkey has entered into a pact with all the reactionary enemies of democracy.

Defeat of the AKP/MHP fascism would lead to peace

The Islamist militias supported by the AKP/MHP fascism and the Syria they want to build represents a threat not only to the peoples of the Middle East, but to all humanity. Resistance to fascism on this scale is a struggle for the defense of whole humanity. It is not possible to achieve peace and stability and develop democratization in the Middle East without defeating the AKP/MHP fascism. In this context, the resistance of the Kurdish people against the AKP/MHP fascism and its occupation attacks is a struggle for all people. Whether in Northern Kurdistan, in the Medya Defense Zones, in Afrin, Rojava and Northern Syria; the fight against fascism will continue in the name of all humanity.

All Kurds must do their part for the liberation of Afrin

The resistance in Afrin is the struggle of all Kurds for dignity and honor. The city is one of the cornerstones of the Kurdish people. As long as Afrin is not liberated from invasion, the Kurds cannot and must not sit back. The liberation of Afrin is not only the responsibility of its inhabitants or the people of Rojava. All Kurds and political movements in northern, southern and eastern Kurdistan also have a duty to undertake responsibility. Undoubtedly, the youth of Afrin must have only one goal: to be part of the resistance to liberate the city.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the attack on Afrin, we greet the great resistance and reaffirm our commitment to do our part in the struggle to liberate Afrin from occupation. We are firmly convinced that the the liberation struggle for Afrin will succeed. In this sense, we call for strengthening the struggle against the occupation.”