The Northern and Eastern Syrian Autonomous Administration Executive Council held a press statement in their headquarters in Ayn Isa on the Turkish state threats of invasion.

The statement was read by Northern and Eastern Syrian Autonomous Administration Executive Council Co-chair Abid Al-Mihbas.

“CRISIS DEEPENED WHEN THEY ENTERED SYRIA”

The Northern and Eastern Syrian Autonomous Administration Executive Council statement includes the following:

“In 2011, the people of Syria launched peaceful protests. Their demands at the time were freedom, democracy, constitutional recognition for all peoples, and the acknowledgement of rights. But the emerging crisis wasn’t directed in accordance with the demands of the people and the crisis continued to deepen. When regional powers like Turkey and Iran and global influences like the US and Russia as well as certain Western countries entered Syria, the crisis worsened, and a period of armed warfare started in the country. As a result, the Syrian people have left their homes, cities and villages for security and stability.

“THE CRISIS CREATED A FOUNDATION FOR ISIS”

Some migrated to other areas in Syria, and some left the country to head for the migration routes braving all danger. In the end, many women, children and elderly people died walking and drowned while crossing seas. The whole world watched what happened to the Syrian people. The Syrians reached Europe, Canada, US and other countries in the world but have been reduced to living in inhumane conditions. The fate of the Syrian people has been trapped between becoming immigrants or refugees.

The chaos that ensued and the lack of security enabled radical Islamists like Al Qaeda and ISIS and they crossed from Iraq into Syria. Later these groups declared Raqqa to be their capital and carved out a territory for themselves in and around Deir ez-Zor and Heseke.

“TURKISH STATE GATHERED ALL TERRORISTS”

Our neighbor Turkey has gathered all the terrorists in the world under their fascist system and spread them throughout Syria, starting with Northern and Eastern Syria. These terrorist organizations receiving support from Turkey have taken control of many areas along the Turkish border. When Erdogan’s terrorists wanted to cross into Syrian territory and invade Kobane, YPG and YPJ fighters had responded in kind. The people of Kobane didn’t let the city be taken by terrorists. From then on, the breaking started in ISIS. Kobane was liberated. Then came the liberation of Hawl, Til Baraq, Gire Spi and Manbij. SDF heroes from Kurdish, Arab, Syriac, Turkmen and other Northern and Eastern Syrian peoples launched rescue operations. First the so-called capital of Raqqa was liberated. The liberation operation in Deir ez-Zor continues still.

“ONE THIRD RESCUED FROM TERRORISM”

There are intense clashes in the last ISIS positions to the east of Deir ez-Zor to the east of the Euphrates. International Coalition Forces have been supporting the SDF for the elimination of ISIS. The US-led International Coalition Forces and the SDF have achieved many gains, terror has been eradicated in the liberated areas and a safe life has ensued. A total of 67.200 square kilometers of land has been liberated to date, which pertains to one third of Syrian territory as a whole. SDF has lost 8 thousand martyrs to be able to liberate these lands. Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor are among the liberated areas, after 4+ years of ISIS occupation.

“HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS FORCED TO MIGRATE”

With the liberation of cities and towns, civilian administrations were formed to carry out the works necessary and to provide services. First, people were removed from the war zones and placed in camps where they received support. Ayn Isa camp was built as part of this, and hosts a total of 15.500 migrants from Raqqa and Deir Ez Zor. There are two camps around Manbij with populations of 1.947 and 2.832. There are 7.500 migrants in the Tiwehine Camp in Tabqa, 3.686 in the Ebu Xesheb Camp, 9.469 in the El-Erisha Camp, 2.099 in the Mebruka Camp, 7.900 Iraqi and a total of 12.200 migrants in the Hawl Camp, 1.682 in the Roj Camp, and 451 migrants and refugees in the Newroz Camp. Meanwhile, there are migrants in dispersed camps in some regions and in derelict buildings. There are a total of 97.000 migrants living this way in Manbij, 15.298 in Raqqa, 193.000 in Deir ez-Zor, 65.000 in Tabqa, 750 in Til Temir and 400.000 migrants in the Cizire region.

There are a total of 54.066 migrants and refugees in the migrant camps and 825.413 migrants and refugees throughout Northern and Eastern Syria.

Because of the current stability and safety in Northern and Eastern Syria, civilians have been migrating into our region from areas like Sexne, Idlib and the east of Hama, under control of the “Euphrates Shield” structure. This has increased the burden on the civilian administrations. We have been sharing our bread with our migrants because we are the peoples of Syria together.

The aim of migrants coming into the autonomous administration controlled areas is to reach safety and security.

CALL FOR RETURN

We are calling on our people who migrated away from the territory of Northern and Eastern Syrian Autonomous Administration to return to their lands and state that we will be providing the necessary support. With that, we are also calling on those who have wronged our people in our region, those who joined ISIS or others, those who migrated to Turkey or other countries, they can return to these lands and find solutions through the courts and justice institutions in the Northern and Eastern Syrian territory.

RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS

Some circles have claimed that the SDF has deliberately pushed Arabs to migrate. These circles have connections to Turkey and their purpose is to lie and deceive. We live in peace and unity. We are removing radical ideologies and resisting together with all peoples on the foundation of a democratic ideology, a common life and the brotherhood of peoples. We can see that the Turkish regime, having invaded Afrin, forced its people to migrate and stolen their property, targets the gains in Northern and Eastern Syrian territories, as well as the establishment of security and stability in the region.

The people of Afrin have settled in Autonomous Administration’s territories like Shehba, Kobane, Manbij and Cizire. The Turkish state has settled their gangs in place of the people of Afrin. This is changing a demographics. With that, they have invaded Azaz, Jarablus, Bab and Idlib. Now they have positioned their army and their gangs along the Northern and Eastern Syrian border and are threatening the people in territories under  control of the Northern and Eastern Syrian Autonomous Administration, which the peoples of Syria and the SDF have liberated through the blood of martyrs.

“THE DECISION TO WITHDRAW WILL SERVE ISIS”

Erdogan wants to reestablish the Misak-i Milli (the “National Pact”) through the invasion of Syrian territory. US President Trump’s decision to withdraw troops from the Autonomous Administration territory has come immediately after Erdogan’s threats and serves terrorism and the return of ISIS. The fight against ISIS is not over. Erdogan’s threats to invade Northern and Eastern Syria are dangerous not just for Syria but for the whole world. In such a case, our forces may have to abandon the fight in Hajin to take position along the northern border against Turkey. That would mean the return of ISIS gangs yet again. Let us remember that there are 2.622 ISIS prisoners from 46 countries in our institutions. These people are held in special camps. There are 790 ISIS arrestees, commanders and members, from 48 countries. There are Syrian ISIS members among the arrestees as well.

If Turkey starts to attack the region, we won’t be able to hold these prisoners. The situation would quickly spiral out of our control and these prisoners would disperse throughout the world to create threats against world peace.

“THE INVASION MUST BE STOPPED, A NO-FLY ZONE MUST BE DECLARED”

We are calling on the UN and human rights organizations to fulfill their obligations and to stop the Turkish regime’s possible invasion attacks that would result in massacres of the Syrian people. History has witnessed this fascist regime committing a genocide against the Armenian people. To avoid repeating such massacres and genocides, the region must be declared a no-fly zone and the peoples of Northern and Eastern Syria must be protected.”