Kurdish artists said that the Turkish state is currently attacking the guerrilla forces, but their target is the entire Kurdistan and the Kurdish people. They demanded that each Kurdish individual do their part and stand against Turkish aggression and their collaborators.

Kurdish artists Xelîl Xemgîn, Nasir Rezazî, Beser Şahin, Nebez Abdullah, Yelda Abbasî, Şazad and Fatemeh Îsmaîliyan spoke to ANF about the Turkish invasion attacks.

XELIL XEMGIN: WE SHOULD SIDE WITH GUERILLAS

Xelîl Xemgîn: This war is a war of survival. The war is against all Kurdish achievements, not just against the Medya Defense Zones. This is the purpose of this war. We must take part in this war as a people. If some of our politicians do not do so, we should put pressure on them. The Kurdish parties and politicians talk too much but do nothing when it comes to deeds. Why don't these parties play a role?

This is a major war aimed at all the gains of the Kurds. If the enemy wins, none of the Kurdish gains will continue to exit.
NASIR REZAZİ: A DUTY FOR ALL KURDS

Nasir Rezazi: Honourable and heroic Kurdish people; it is obvious that the aim of the Turkish attacks on Kurdistan is to create problems among the Kurds, not to allow them to unite, to prevent them from achieving their goals. All the beautiful places and regions of Kurdistan have been destroyed by the Turkish state. More than 500 villages in South Kurdistan were evacuated by Turkish troops and the local people were forcibly displaced to other parts of Kurdistan. This is an invasion. Unfortunately, we, the Kurds, are not united. If we unite, they cannot do this. The duty of every honourable Kurd is to really oppose this occupation and to adopt an attitude.

BESER ŞAHİN: KURDISTAN IS OUR MOTHER

Beser Şahin: Kurdistan is our mother, and guerrillas are this mother's children. I appeal to mothers from South Kurdistan: be careful about the enemies of the Kurdish people. Do not let your children fight against the guerrillas. This stage is a very dangerous one. All the four parts of Kurdistan, the Kurdish people living in Europe, the metropolises in Turkey or Kurdistan have a historical responsibility for our people. I believe that our people who understand this situation will stand up, especially in European cities, and will not remain silent.

NEBEZ ABDULLAH: WE SHOULD SHOW OUR ATTITUDE

Nebez Abdullah: We call on all artists, intellectuals, pro-freedom activists and all citizens of the South to raise their voices. This is a national duty for every Kurdish individual. As they want to destroy all the gains of the Kurdish people, we as artists, as all classes and individuals, must raise our voices against the Turkish attacks, because silence means accepting what is happening to our nation. The current attacks in South Kurdistan are not only against the PKK, but also against all Kurds. The aim of the enemy is to destroy the Kurds. All Kurdish individuals, especially those from South Kurdistan, should stand up against the enemy, show their dissatisfaction, take to the streets for protests and serve their own people.

Do not allow the peshmerga forces to fight against their brothers and sisters in guerrilla ranks. If we are truly artists, if we have a conscience, if we genuinely love our country, if we want a peaceful future for our next generations, we must show our attitude today.

The Turkish state wants to capture the whole of Kurdistan as in 1923 and revive the Ottoman Empire. Patriotic and vigilant peshmerga should not fight the guerrilla forces.

YELDA ABBASI: NO WAR

Yelda Abbasi: Wars bring only plunder and destruction. Turkey's war on the Kurds has been going on for decades and thousands of innocent people have been killed. My desire as an artist is to maintain peace and brotherhood between nations. I say NO to War!

ŞAZAD: EVERY KURD SHOULD RESIST

Şazad: As artists, intellectuals and writers, we hope that we will take a common stance against the Turkish occupation in South Kurdistan. I hope that all intellectuals, artists and Kurds will stand united against the attacks of the Turkish state which has destroyed Kurdistan with advanced weaponry and aircraft. The important thing for them is to destroy Kurdistan, its soil, trees, gardens and villages. Kurdistan Region’s Prime Minister and the Barzani Family should know that the defeat of the guerrillas means the defeat of Kurdistan. Thousands of martyrs have been sacrificed so far. I hope that every Kurd will oppose the Turkish attack on South Kurdistan. The destruction of Kurdistan is the destruction of all of us. Long live Kurdistan and long live our unity!

FATEMEH ISMAILYAN: NO TO KURDISH GENOCIDE

Fatemeh Îsmaîliyan: War does not bring any good for people in any country. The reward of war is destruction and murder. War is not the goal of pro-freedom people; it is the goal of dictators. The Turkish regime has been attacking the Kurds for years. As a Kurdish woman from Khorasan, I say No to War! No to genocide, no to bloodshed, no to Kurdish genocide and child murders!