On October 9, NATO partner Turkey, together with its jihadist mercenary groups with ISIS and Al-Nusra background, began its long-prepared military offensive seeking to invade the self-governing territories of northern Syria in violation of international law. The #RiseUp4Rojava campaign called for a worldwide "World Resistance Day for Rojava" today, November 2. All over the world countless people took to the streets - also in Rojava - in solidarity with the resistance against the occupation of the areas liberated from ISIS in Northern Syria.

Til Temir

The demonstration began in the Til Temir (Tal Tamr) town north of the cantonal capital of Hesekê. The town is a Christian settlement area and is currently under heavy attack. Early in the morning, Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian and Syriac inhabitants gathered in front of the Council of Martyrs’ Families and started a through the town with flags of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and pictures of the martyrs who lost their lives defending Rojava.

The slogans chanted by the mass included "All together against fascism" and "Resistance is life". The demonstration ended at the central traffic junction Şehîd Kendal, where a final rally took place. Abdulrahman Hasan, Co-Chairman of the Til Temir Council, gave a speech here. The politician addressed the similarities of the current resistance with the struggle for Kobanê and said that: "Kobanê has turned the plans of the hegemonic powers and dictators upside down. It proved that the resistance of the peoples of North and East Syria can change the world. Our revolution has become a global model. Let us together strengthen the struggle to smash fascism".

Raqqa

In Raqqa, too, many people took to the streets to express their anger at the invasive attacks on Rojava. A crowd marched powerfully on the main road towards Panorama Square, a symbolic place where the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS) had buried hundreds of victims of terror in mass graves in the nearby Panorama Park. In speeches the resistance of the SDF was commended and the attack on the project of a democratic nation was strongly condemned. The United Nations was called upon to stop the Turkish state's neo-Ottoman expansion plans.

Deir ez-Zor

A demonstration also took place in the Eastern Syrian region of Deir ez-Zor. Here mainly representatives and members of the Arab tribes took part in the protest and expressed their solidarity with the resistance against Turkish invasion.

Hesekê

Thousands of people took part in a massive demonstration in the city of Hesekê, where different ethnic groups and religions live together peacefully and reflect the mosaic nature of peoples. After a short opening rally in the Mifti neighborhood, the protest march continued to the Martyrs’ Square behind a front banner with the inscription "Everywhere is Rojava, Everywhere is Resistance" and flags of the SDF, YPG and YPJ. The demonstrators were addressed there by Ayşe Hiso, the co-chair of the PYD. With a speech the politician introduced the final rally and explained that the Syria crisis cannot be solved, as long as the self-administration remains excluded from the talks. Hiso then pointed out that Turkey's attacks on Rojava began immediately after the victory over the ISIS. This fact stands for the background of the invasion, more need not be said.

Dirbêsiyê

In Dirbêsiyê (al-Darbasiyah) a protest march started in front of the headquarters of the Revolutionary Youth Movement of Syria. Participants included representatives of numerous political parties and civil society as well as representatives and leaders of Arab tribes. The head of the Shamar tribe, Hashim Suleiman al-Jerba, expressed their support for the SDF and called on other Arab tribes in the region to resist the invasion.

Further demonstrations on the occasion of World Rojava Day took place in Hol (al-Hawl) near the camp of the same name, Tirbêspîyê, Dêrik (al-Malikiya), Amûdê, Girkê Legê, Til Koçer, Çilaxa, Tel Berak, Manbij, Aleppo, Shehba, Shaddadi and Kobanê.