PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) Executive Committee released a statement about South Kurdistan's KDP's attack on Shengal in collaboration with Turkey's AKP.

The written statement issued by the PKK Executive Committee said: “First, we would like to celebrate March 8 International Working Women’s Day for all women who fight for freedom, and wish them success in the struggle for freedom and democracy. We salute with respect and gratitude the great freedom fighter Martyr Sara (Sakine Cansız) and all valiant martyrs of the Women’s Freedom Movement in her person. We wholeheartedly believe that the free life will be achieved through women’s resistance.”

"ATTACK ON SHENGAL IS TURKEY’S PLAN"

PKK pointed out that on March 2 and 3, gangs supported by AKP and KDP carried out an invasion attack on the ancient lands of Kurds in Shengal and noted that the gangs attacking Shengal are those that have been trained in Bashiqa by the Turkish army and the KDP for a long time.

The PKK statement said the following:

“It is apparent that the gangs positioned in Khanasor aim to control Shengal, break the democratic autonomous administration will developed by our Êzidî Kurdish people, damage self-defense forces YBŞ and YJŞ and complete the Êzidî Kurdish genocide started by ISIS. In this sense, these are a continuation to the genocidal attacks launched by ISIS on August 3, 2014. Those who fled ISIS in Shengal on August 3 have now returned to try to hit those who saved Shengal from ISIS.

“SHENGAL PLAN PREPARED IN ANKARA”

The attack happening right after KDP Leader Masoud Barzani’s Ankara visit and meetings with Turkey’s administration shows that the plan for the attack was prepared in Ankara. Thus, it is a continuation of the total fascist-genocidal attacks launched by the AKP-MHP fascism against the people of Northern Kurdistan on July 24, 2015. It is part of the attacks launched by the Turkish army on Afrin, Manbij, Nusayin and Lice.

All these attacks carried out by the AKP-MHP fascism are known to aim to crush the Kurdistan Freedom Movement and carry out a Kurdish genocide. It is very clear that the AKP-MHP fascism is attempting to pressure the people over these attacks and aim to win in the referendum on April 16. Especially with the Manbij and Shengal attacks, they are clearly attempting to prevent and void the Raqqa and Mosul operations conducted against fascist ISIS gangs. It is also apparent that they want to use the KDP to achieve these ends.”

EMPHASIS ON THE NATIONAL CONGRESS

The Executive Committee stated that as the PKK, they are trying to resolve issues through meetings with the KDP administration and assemble a Kurdistan National Congress that will result in gains for the Kurds in such a critical historic period, and added: “The KDP administration building an alliance with AKP, which has joined forces with the fascist and anti-Kurdish stance of MHP, and carrying out the military attacks in question is utterly dangerous, inconsistent and harmful. We hope the KDP administration will turn away from such stances and withdraw their attack forces at once. The KDP administration should know that the current relationships they are developing with the bloody-handed administrators of AKP and the Turkish state isn’t just hurting Northern Kurdistan, but Southern Kurdistan as well. These relationships should be reviewed and revised.”

“WE SALUTE THE PEOPLE OF SHENGAL”

The rest of the statement touched upon the following:

“We salute the YBŞ and YJŞ forces resisting AKP-MHP led gang attacks, HPG and YJA-Star guerrillas and Shengal Êzidî Kurdish people, and we send our respects to the valiant martyrs of the resistance. As a party we have a historic responsibility and duty to defend all Kurdish people, wherever they may be. Especially against the August 3, 2014 attack, our guerrilla forces sprung into action to prevent the ISIS genocide and have taken upon themselves a special responsibility for the safety of our Êzidî people in Shengal. It should be known that we will always fulfill our responsibility in the face of all attacks, and we will always stand with the Êzidî Kurdish people.

We as the PKK movement have always favored solving all problems through democratic political means. But it is also clear that we do have the strength to resist and defeat any and all attacks on our movement and our people. So, nobody should make the mistake of testing the Freedom Movement. Our search for a democratic political solution shouldn’t be seen as a weakness. Solving especially the problems among Kurds through democratic political means is to the advantage of all, and all of our people. To this end, we are calling on all Kurdish political forces and democratic circles to take a stand against these provocative attacks and spend effort on solving the issues through democratic political means.

“THE SHENGAL ATTACK IS SEVERE AND PAINFUL FOR ALL KURDS”

The current attack on Shengal is severe and painful for all Kurds. It is especially serious that this situation developed as a provocation by the AKP-MHP fascist administration. The attack is harmful for all Kurds, and it is especially harmful to the people and the political forces of Southern Kurdistan. In this sense, we are calling on our people and the political parties of Southern Kurdistan, and all our people and forces of democracy in all parts of Kurdistan to stand and fight against the treacherous gang attacks and other such provocations.

Clearly, the AKP-MHP fascism is a barbaric force troubling not just the Kurdish people, but all the peoples of the region and the world. They are attacking another place every day and they don’t recognize any human values. They are committing a crime of genocide in front of the whole world with their massacres on Kurds. All who uphold the democratic humane values should take a joint stance against this fascist barbarism and not just stand and watch the genocidal massacres on the Kurdish people.

“THEY ATTACK WITH RABIDNESS OVER DECAY”

It is clear that the AKP-MHP fascism is attempting to develop attacks on the people of Northern Kurdistan with the rabidness brought over by the decay and isolation from the world they are experiencing. Apparently, they will try to increase the vile attacks and massacres as the decay accelerates and April 16 draws closer. For this reason, the resistance forces of Northern Kurdistan and all our people should see this fact and increase the freedom resistance against the fascist-genocidal aggression. The end of AKP-MHP fascism is close. If March 8 and Newroz are handled with the spirit of resistance and freedom, fascism will fall and become history in the referendum process. All our people, especially women and the youth, and all the democratic forces in Turkey should stand shoulder to shoulder to achieve this historic goal.

The fascist-genocidal dictatorship and the collaborating treachery will fall, our peoples and humanity will rise.”