The Foreign Relations Committee of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) released a written statement on the occupation aggression of the Turkish army against southern Kurdistan, northern Iraq.

The Committee underlined that Turkey's occupation efforts in the Bradost region of South Kurdistan were initiated on the very same day when the Presidential election in South Kurdistan Parliament took place and the Iraqi President Barham Salih met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"This is a message for both Southern Kurdistan and Iraq. But neither the central government in Baghdad nor the government in the autonomous region has spoken out against these attacks. This issue is ignored on the grounds of being a cross-border operation against the PKK," said the statement.

The statement continued as follows;

"To argue that these attacks are only against the PKK and the guerrilla means serving the dirty games of the AKP/MHP fascism and avoiding responsibility to resist and to adopt an appropriate attitude against the occupation. The fact that has to be known is that the fascist AKP/MHP government attacks all of Kurdistan in the person of the PKK and the guerrilla. The Erdogan regime seeks to do what it was unable to accomplish via DAESH (ISIS) by taking action itself now and getting the approval of regional and international forces. Erdoğan launched a genocidal occupation attack through DAESH in the South (of Kurdistan) in 2014. Since this attempt did not bring any success, a renewed attack from the North over the mountains was started. The attack, which had been initiated from the South, was not limited to a military offensive, but also brought economic collapse.

Erdogan strives for his neo-Ottoman dreams

The bombardments of warplanes and helicopters on the Bradost area and the deliberately triggered fires on thousands of hectares of acreage in Maxmur, Kirkuk and Mosul are among the different methods and versions of the attack carried out under the same policy. The goal is to occupy and take control of all the areas that were named as Misak-i Milli (the “National Pact”) borders but were ceded to Iraq in 1926 with the signing of the British-Turkish-Iraqi Mosul Treaty. In an attempt to achieve this, Erdogan tries to realize his neo- Ottoman dreams.

LACK OF STANCE AGAINST OCCUPATION IS AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF NATIONAL UNITY

While South Kurdistan is confronted with an occupation offensive from Bashika to Bradost, it is incompatible with Kurdishness and the spirit of national unity not to take any stand against these intentions or at least not to condemn the ambitions of the occupation. To justify this behavior with economic and political interests is absurd. Once the homeland and the land are under occupation, interests have no meaning. No benefit is superior to the freedom of our country and national unity. National unity can only come about when difficult decisions are made in hard times. A true national unity does not form in orderly conditions. Even if it emerges under such circumstances, it will collapse at the first difficulty, as today's practice shows us. The road to national unity leads through an attitude against the Turkish occupation. A look at the history of the peoples and nations of this world is enough to see that, as a result of their tough battles in difficult times, they were able to secure their national unity and hold on to national values.

Kurdish and democratic forces must take their stance

As Kurdistan is under yet another invasion operation, we call on all Kurdish forces and democratic circles in all parts of the country to oppose the occupation. This invasion attempt puts the forces of Kurdistan on a historic test. Based on national attitudes and national unity, every force has a responsibility to act against the occupation.

But not only the Kurds, also Iraq is in a serious situation. The fact that the Iraqi government is silent in the face of this occupation and does not oppose it harms all peoples living in Iraq and their true interests. All international forces that have fought against DAESH must oppose the occupation attempt of the AKP/MHP fascism - the sponsor of DAESH - and take a stand against its neo-Ottoman concept.

Mobilization against Turkish occupation

Without waiting for the attitude to be adopted by the political forces pursuing their small interests, our people should take action on the basis of their libertarian approach and culture of resistance. Relying on their own strength, they should take action against the Turkish occupation campaign.

Regardless of which party they belong to, we call on all the Kurds and all the peoples living in Kurdistan to manifest their attitude against the occupation everywhere with the spirit of the Sheladize rebellion, and with the awareness that this occupation campaign will form the basis for further massacres and genocides, considering the genocidal mentality of the AKP/MHP fascism.”