Emine Osê, deputy co-chair of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North-East Syria, said that the Turkish state attacked Ain Issa by exploiting the vacuum created by the US elections and the Astana and Geneva processes, disrupted by the Russian Idlib bargain. She added that Turkey is looking for an opportunity to isolate the region of Jazira and the Euphrates.

Deputy co-chair Osê told ANF that they are working both diplomatically and militarily against these efforts. She emphasized that they will protect the people, the country and their status in a possible big attack.

The Turkish state has been attacking North-East Syrian areas for the past year, but these attacks have intensified over the past month. Why is that?

The Turkish state had actually set a road map and started the attacks with the approval of international powers. Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî were occupied as a result of this approval. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and they have now to live in very harsh conditions. Those who do not want to stay in the occupied regions and leave their land face inhumane crimes every day.

As the Autonomous Administration, we are facing and dealing with two important issues;

* The coronavirus outbreak

* The Turkish state attack

Why have the attacks of the Turkish state increased?

In a very short time, the Astana and Geneva processes were blocked and stalled. There was a political vacuum here. To help increase the political vacuum were the presidential elections in America. Some alliances made before the election are shaky. There is an attempt to take advantage of this situation. The Turkish state has always been looking out for opportunities. Wherever there will be a political vacuum or change, it tries to take advantage of this immediately to expand the borders of its occupation. Attacks against Ain Issa happens within this framework.

One of the guarantors of the agreement made a year ago is Russia. Russian and Syrian government forces have been in the field for a year, but the attacks continue. Why are they silent?

The International Coalition forces do not know how far their initiative and powers will go due to the devolution issue in the USA. Russia is trying to take advantage of this. Therefore, if the attacks on Ain Issa had not been approved by Russia, which is the guarantor in the region, they would not have happened. Russia is a party here, it is on the regime side. In order not to come face to face with the Turks in Idlib or to enable the Turkish state to withdraw from a few points, it gives a green light to attacks on our areas.

Is Ain Issa of any special importance?

It is geographically important. The Turkish state is always striving to break up the North-East Syrian regions, invalid their status and ensure its own sovereignty in the region. It started with Afrin in 2018. Now it wants to intervene in the Girê Spî-Ain Issa line and separate the regions of Jazira and Firat. Therefore, these attacks are serious. The Turkish state insists on expanding its occupation areas.

The Turkish state, on one hand targets the status in North-East Syria and on the other wants to stir up a war within the Kurds in Bashur. It is in an effort to enforce its rule through both the inter-Kurdish and the Kurdish-Arab war.

What is the Syrian administration doing?

It is definitely attacking with the green light of Russia. The Syrian administration is a part of this. Their media is constantly making propaganda over Ain Issa. They are trying to force us to make concessions at some points by putting us under pressure.

Are you waiting for a bigger and more comprehensive attack?

Thanks to the resistance of the people and our forces, Turkey could not implement the road map it had made in 2019. Now it is trying to take advantage of this political vacuum. On the one hand, it wants to measure the attitude of international powers. Russia and the regime are silent. As I said, the attack is serious, they are certainly also measure the pulse in case of a bigger attack.

What is the Autonomous Administration doing and what will it do, what can the people do?

We will protect our people, our lands and our status against all invasion attacks. We approach the process within a strategic plan and try to respond to all the needs of the people. There is no solution project other than the Autonomous Administration in Syria. Our people, in all its components, are also aware of this. Our diplomatic effort and defense preparations continue.