Shengal Defense Units (YBŞ) Command released a statement about Turkey’s threats against Shengal.

Describing the Turkish state’s threatening statements as fascism, YBŞ said; “We state that these remarks that have no realist ground and motive and do not comply with Iraq’s unity and sovereignty are unacceptable, and that the states in question and world public opinion should manifest sensitivity for Shengal again.”

The statement by YBŞ said the following;

Drawing lessons from the firman (decree of genocide) faced by our people on 3 August 2014, and consequences that left us defenseless and face to face with massacres, we got organised based on self-strength as Shengal Resistance Units, and gave an unrelenting fight against human enemy ISIS in response to the firman.

Apart from preventing the massacre and occupation against our people and geography, we ensured the organisation of our people in Shengal and created major changes with the awareness of social defense. We sacrificed hundreds of martyrs in the epic resistance we mounted against ISIS since the first day of firman, and proved to be the self-defense force of Ezidi people.

Despite the change and transformation of several balances of power, Shengal Resistance Units secured the environment of trust and stability by embracing the other peoples of this geography alongside the Ezidi people in the areas they liberated from ISIS. Not going under the influence of any political power, YBŞ became a force that involves all peoples. The role of the YBŞ became an unquestionable reality in the expulsion of ISIS from Iraq, particularly from Shengal.

In parallel with the recent developments and in the scope of Iraqi army’s project of holding of all borders for the sake of Iraq’s integrity, YBŞ handed over the 70 km long Iraq-Rojava border that they liberated since 2014 and where they maintained security to Iraqi army forces within the framework of talks held between two sides.

At this point, we as YBŞ have achieved a strong organisation based on four years of resistance, and entered a process of struggle in which gains got even more influential without wasting any effort given up to date. We will continue with our struggle in gratitude for our people, freedom and democracy forces that have supported us.

The Turkish state’s recent threatening statements are an attempt of fascism, and mean a new firman for the peoples in the region.

We state that these remarks that have no realist ground and motive and do not comply with Iraq’s unity and sovereignty are unacceptable, and that the states in question and world public opinion should manifest sensitivity for Shengal again.”