Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) released a written statement marking November 1, World Kobane Day.

Full text of the statement reads as follows:

“Today is November 1 World Kobane Day. Exactly four years ago, barbaric ISIS gangs attacked Kobane with all their might. In Kobane, a group of heroics, altruistic fighters of the YPG and YPJ, who in spite of overwhelming challenges, did not leave their city and mounted a resistance in the name of humanity against the brutal attacks of ISIS. Democratic forces and activists around the world also supported the people of Kobane and its fighters with their daily actions. This support and resistance grew stronger with every passing day and eventually saved Kobane. Since then, November 1 became the symbol of the resistance of Kobane.

When ISIS attacked Kobane, it wasn’t alone. Forces hostile to the Kurds who wanted to maintain the status quo in the region, with Turkey in the lead, supported and financed ISIS. In those days, the Prime Minister of Turkey, Erdogan, went to the border with Kobane and met some of his supporters. At that meeting he announced with great pleasure "Almost! Kobane can fall at any moment". Despite all this, Kobane resisted and became a grave for ISIS. ISIS suffered its first loss there.

After the summit in Istanbul between Germany, France, Turkey & Russia the attacks started.

The Turkish state and its president Erdogan have not forgotten that day and they want to finish what ISIS couldn’t. After the summit in Istanbul 4 days ago between Erdogan, Russia, Germany and France, the Turkish government intensified its threats and launched attacks against northern Syria. Turkey has been bombing the border areas of Kobane and Rojava for four days. Neither the international coalition against ISIS nor the states that participated in the Istanbul summit have taken a serious stand against these attacks and condemn the Turkish state.

The attacks of IS and Turkey are coordinated.

The forces that liberated Kobane went on to freeing most of the ISIS held regions and paid a large price for it. There is only very little territory left in the hands of ISIS. The Syrian Democratic Forces, with the YPG/YPJ as the key catalysts, continued their operations to free the remaining areas of ISIS. And right now, the attacks of the Turkish state are taking place and are in fact nothing more than coordinated support for the ISIS-terrorists. It is striking that simultaneously with Turkish attacks, ISIS-terrorists are also engaged in intense attacks against the village of Hejin in the area of ​​Dêra Zor, one of the last ISIS bastions. While ISIS is about to be exterminated, the Turkish state comes to their rescue and attacks Rojava in northern Syria.

Emergency call

This attack by the Turkish state on Rojava is also an attack against democratic governance and progressive forces.

We call on the International Coalition to clarify their position towards Turkey that provides support to ISIS-terrorists.

The attacks of the Turkish state are against the strategies of the International Coalition against Terrorism. The coalition must take action as soon as possible and stop ISIS-supporting Turkey.

The International Coalition must condemn the Turkish attacks on safe areas in the north of Syria.”