International reactions to the attacks by the Turkish state and its affiliated armed groups on areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria (Rojava) continue. Former French President François Hollande, speaking during a live broadcast on Franceinfo to discuss developments in Syria, said that the attacks on Rojava are unacceptable and warned that Europe cannot turn a blind eye to what is happening in the Autonomous Administration regions.

When reminded of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's remarks suggesting that the European Union should strengthen its ties with the jihadist group HTS (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) and asked whether HTS could be trusted, Hollande responded: "First, they need to provide evidence. Let me issue a warning here: HTS is not the only Islamist group. There are also Turkey-backed groups and other, more democratic groups. We need to see what these groups will do in the areas they control."

‘Kurds helped us against ISIS, they cannot be abandoned’

Hollande continued by highlighting the importance of supporting Syrian Kurds, and said: "There can be no attacks against the Syrian Kurds. It was the Syrian Kurds who helped us in our fight against DAESH (ISIS). Without the Syrian Kurds, it would not have been possible to uproot DAESH from Syria. France provided them with full support. As President, I could not, in good conscience, accept the abandonment of the Syrian Kurds today. Additionally, the Syrian Kurds are currently keeping thousands of DAESH prisoners under control. If these individuals are released, sooner or later they will return to our own territories."

‘Kurds play a crucial role against terrorism’

Hollande called for the protection of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, and said: "The Kurdish autonomy must be respected. What I mean by that is that the Syrian Kurds play an important role. They have been, and continue to be, absolutely vital in the fight against terrorism. However, this does not mean that they must separate from Syria. The message should be that they need to coexist within the region."

‘France and the International Coalition must protect the Kurds’

The former president insisted on France’s responsibility, saying that "France must protect the Kurds. France, along with the International Coalition established to fight terrorism, has a duty to protect them. As for Von der Leyen, Europe cannot ignore what is happening in this part of Syria. While I was in the European Council, I encountered Europeans who viewed Syria as a distant place with no impact on the European continent. But we experienced terrorist attacks, and so did they. Therefore, they need to understand that what happens in Syria can also have repercussions on our own territories."