The Kurdistan Democratic Societies Congress in Europe (KCDK-E) joins the appeal of 34 political parties and institutions from northern and eastern Syria calling for the closure of the airspace over the region. At the same time, KCDK-E calls for general mobilisation in defence of the Rojava revolution.

"It could be worse than under ISIS"

The KCDK-E released a statement warning of an imminent Turkish attack, saying that Turkey, through NATO and Europe, has made the greatest efforts to prepare for invasion in order to "drench in blood an area where hundreds of thousands of civilians live in peace". The association warned that the massacres and mass killings "could become worse than the ISIS attack."

"The killing continues every day"

The statement by KCDK-E said: "The Turkish state has already committed many assassinations and massacres in civilian settlements in recent years using drones, and continues this trend every day. Cities, towns and villages are being attacked by drones in full view of the world."

"Turkey is committing the most serious war crimes"

The KCDK-E highlighted in particular the role of women and youth in defeating ISIS, while "the Turkish state, led by dictator Erdoğan, who organises and finances these barbaric gangs, is committing the gravest war crimes. It is actively changing the demographic structure in the occupied territories by settling its mercenaries in Afrin, Girê Spî and Serêkaniyê, and by pursuing the most severe assimilation policies against the remaining original population."

"The Turkish state is a criminal state"

The association also referred to the situation in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) and warned that the Turkish state also wants to occupy the Yazidi region of Shengal and the self-administered Maxmur refugee camp. “However, since the Turkish army is not making any progress in its military operation in the Zap region, it is committing war crimes by using chemical weapons, among other things. The Turkish state is a criminal state founded on annihilation and denial of the peoples," it noted.

Referring to the crimes and war policy of the Turkish state, the KCDK-E stressed that: "We call on humanity to stand up against the murderous Turkish army that is carrying out ethnic cleansing, massacres, expulsion and assimilation. We appeal to the international powers, which disregard international law by looking the other way at the crimes of the Turkish state and do not even respect their own laws, to stop making themselves accomplices and finally take a stand."

"ISIS and al-Nusra threaten to become a new danger to the world"

A Turkish attack will lead to a strengthening of ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra and will once again make the two groups a major threat to the whole world, KCDK-E warned and continued: "We hereby call on the international powers, led by the US, the UK and France, not to participate in these atrocities, this genocide and this massacre. We call for the prosecution of the Turkish state, especially dictator Erdoğan, and the Turkish army for the crimes they have committed."

"Stop the double standards"

KCDK-E demanded the immediate closure of the airspace over northern and eastern Syria. The airspace is controlled by the US-led anti-ISIS coalition and Russia. The statement concluded: "We want those who oppose the oppression and war in Ukraine to abandon their double standards and respond to the demands of the peoples of northern and eastern Syria."