Police in Şırnak's Cizre district attacked the celebration organized by Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) district organization to mark the first anniversary of the Rojava revolution in western Kurdistan.

The celebration in the Sur neighborhood started with a concert during which a group of YDG-H (Movement of Patriotic and Revolutionary Youth) staged a torch march to the area, carrying the posters of Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan and flags of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party).

Police attacked the people in the area during the speech of BDP Cizre chair Baki Katar's speech, using intense pressure water and tear gas. Youths responded to the police attack, which came without any warning, with stones and fireworks.

Many riot control vehicles were set on fire and police had to withdraw from the area as a result of the resistance by Kurdish protestors who took to the streets to display their solidarity with the people and revolution of Rojava which has been facing attacks by radical Islamist armed groups, al Nusra being in the first place, for the last five days.

The Kurdish region in Syria is currently under the control of Western Kurdistan's People's Defense Units (YPG) whose fighters have also took control of the Serekaniye border gate between Rojava and Ceylanpınar (Urfa) on 17 July. One day later, YPG handed over the control of theborder gate to the People's Assembly of Serekaniye.