The Turkish government under Erdoğan wants to occupy the Kurdish regions in Northern Syria. They don’t hide their intentions. So, why are these regions targeted by Ankara and what would be the consequences of such an invasion?

Nearly three million people live in these regions of Northern Syria, which the Kurds call Rojava (West Kurdistan). Of course, this population does not only consist of Kurds.

These are known as the safest and most stable regions in Syria. For this reason, some 825,000 people from different parts of Syria have migrated to Rojava. Most of these people are not Kurds. But they are living on equal and brotherly terms with the Kurds. They are fighting shoulder to shoulder against ISIS barbarism.

This regions, and especially the city of Kobani, became a symbol of the struggle against ISIS. Defense forces in Northern Syria have liberated strategic centers such as Manbij, Tel Abyad and most importantly Raqqa from ISIS. This struggle against ISIS not only contributed to the security of the region but also to the security of the world. Because ISIS has received heavy blows here and its force has been dramatically reduced.

Around 10,000 men and women, Kurds and other ethnical groups, sacrificed their lives in this war. On the one hand, a society-centred life model was established while on the other the fight against ISIS continued.

In the bloody lands of Syria, this region has become a shelter for civilian people. Of course, the International Coalition and the world supported this struggle. In particular, the US, Europe, among others, have provided military support against ISIS. Yet they did not want to see the political determination growing in Northern Syria.

The neighbour government of Turkey was hostile to this region since the beginning. Because Kurds live here. The Turkish government described the Kurds achieved status in Syria as a danger to their future.

Kurdish hostility led Erdoğan to support ISIS, directly and indirectly. During the assault on Kobani he said, in a fit of excitement: “Kobani will fall.”

Turkey never closed the two single border gates to the world available to ISIS, Jarablus and Tel Abyad.

When the YPG forces (14 June 2015) liberated Tel Abyad from ISIS, then the Ankara administration closed the border crossing, never to reopen it again.

ISIS members in Jarablus changed their shirts and became the official allies of the Turkish army, taking the name of Free Syrian Army. Now they are moving in a synchronized manner against the Kurds.

The Turkish government names ‘internal security’ as the reason for assaulting Northern Syria. But there has not been a single attack coming from these areas. The Turkish authorities say this, but they can’t prove it. Because they see all Kurds as ’internal security’.

The claim that the PKK is active here is a manipulation to deceive the world. “We will not repeat the error in Iraq in Syria”, Erdoğan repeated several times. What does that mean? In Iraq after Saddam, Kurds achieved legal rights. Erdoğan sees this as a ‘mistake’, as Turkey was not able to prevent this from happening. So, Kurds have achieved rights in Iraq, but in Syria, we will prevent this, he says. However, there is no authoritarian PKK in Iraqi Kurdistan. Then it’s just an excuse to attack the PKK.

For the same reason, they also attacked Afrin forcing hundreds of thousands of Kurds to migrate. Unfortunately, the world forces closed an eye on the attack con Afrin attack, Russia directly supported it, the US indirectly did the same.

We must know that Turkey is using soldiers with ISIS mentality, indeed those men are ISIS. Only the names and clothes are different.

Now, the United States and other forces say they have talked about this situation with Turkey. Nobody comes out and says clearly ‘no, you have no right to attack there’. And they are not doing that because they are worried about their economic interests with Turkey would be affected.

What do Kurds do in this situation? They are seeking a democratic agreement with the administration of Damascus. It should not be forgotten that even though Damascus accepts all the rights of the Kurds (which are rights to autonomy), they will remain part of Syria.

But if this agreement does not happen, the rights of the Kurds are not accepted and the door opens to the Turkish occupation, the world would be under threat. Syria will break apart. Because if Turkey and its FSA allies enter Syria they will not get out again.

Yes, Kurds will suffer, but everyone else will also get hurt. The members of ISIS, who were defeated by Kurds, are resettling here. This place will become a nest of terror.

Kurdish-Turkish relations have entered a very difficult intersection after the Afrin attack, and if there is an attack on other regions, relations will get to a non-return point.

The predecessor of the Turkey-supported jihadist terrorist groups will establish their headquarters in Northern Syria. They will pose a threat to other parts of Syria and the world.

Turkey’s goal is to break Kurds’ neck. And they want to do so with the world’s most dangerous people.

Therefore, today, the security of Kurds is the security of all humanity. World forces may no longer have the chance to listen to the Kurds if they won’t listen to them today.

*This article by Kurdish journalist Amed Dicle first appeared on Global Rights.