Fewaz Zuba El Mirhem is the Cibur Tribe Council President. The tribe has 12 million members in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Iraq and Syria. El Mirhem said that they stand by the PKK against Turkish attacks.

The Cibur Tribe has approximately 12 million members in Syria (1.5 million), Iraq (8.5 million), Yemen (400 thousand), Jordan (500 thousand), Saudi Arabia (850 thousand) and Bahrain (150 thousand). It is one of the largest Arab tribes living in the region from the city of Deir ez-Zor to the Iraqi border (Raqqa, Hesekê, Şedadê, Hol, Til Berak and Qamishlo).

Cibur Council President Fewaz Zuba El Mirhem evaluated the ongoing invasion attacks carried out by the Turkish state against Bashur Kurdistan and North-East Syria to ANF.

El Mirhem stated that these attacks are nothing new and added: "We are against this situation. We are not against the Turkish people, there is no problem between us. We are against the Turkish government. They are occupying our land. They occupy the lands of innocent people. All of this is happening under the leadership of Erdogan."

The PKK is a resistance organisation

Stating that they rejected the accusations and stigmatization targeting the PKK, Fewaz Zuba El Mirhem continued as follows: "The PKK is not a terrorist organization, it is a resistance organization. It defends its territory and resists. Together we fought and defeated ISIS, the most dangerous organization in the world. We liberated our lands. The Turkish state, which was disturbed by this, immediately started invasion attacks as revenge. Today, Afrin, Girê Spî and Serêkaniyê have been occupied. Ain Isa, Til Temir and Zirgan are bombarded daily. Attacks are carried out by armed drones. Turkey wants to empty and occupy these regions by targeting civilians and forcing them to migrate."

Fewaz Zuba said that the Turkish state and its mercenaries are occupiers, and unfortunately, most of these gang members are Syrians and are fighting against the Syrian people. He called on these Syrians, saying: "Today you are being made to fight against your own people and their land. Give it up."

The democratic project is attacked

Fewaz Zuba El Mirhem stated that they live together under the roof of the democratic project established following the ideas of Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan, and that the people of these lands govern themselves. For example, he said, "the prison attack in Hesekê was a conspiracy to break up the democratic project and reach Mosul. This plan was foiled with the cooperation of the people and the security forces. The Turkish state, which was disturbed by this, took the stage by increasing armed drone attacks."

Noting that the Turkish state attacked Iraqi lands saying that they are "their land" and trying to occupy these areas permanently, Fewaz Zuba El Mirhem added: "We paid a great price to free these lands. We will not leave them to the invaders. If we give up on Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî, we will also give up on Iraq. All the people living in the region should know that these lands are ours and will remain ours. Why doesn't Iraq tell the Turkish state to leave its territory?"

Pointing out that the PKK is the only force resisting the Turkish invasion attacks, El Mirhem underlined that "the resistance carried out by the PKK today protects us all. The victory of the PKK is our victory and the victory of the entire region. Our existence is interconnected. From here, I am calling out to the PKK guerrillas who are resisting in the battle positions. We are with you wholeheartedly. We respectfully salute your struggle."