Afrin Liberation Forces (Hêzên Rizgariya Efrînê, HRE) released a statement on occasion of the start of the Turkish invasion of the northern Syrian territory.

The statement includes the following:

"The Turkish state attacked Afrin on January 20, 2018, with the tacit consent of its partners. The people participated with great determination in the resistance against the aggression carried out with advanced weapon technology and played an important role against the brutal actions of the Turkish occupying state and its Islamist gangs. Our people mounted an incomparable resistance. People from all walks of life participated in the defense of our territory, honor and dignity and made great sacrifices for this purpose.

Three years have passed since the occupation of Afrin. The Turkish state has used every inhumane method of oppression during these three years. Its dirty plans to destroy the region's culture and history continue to be implemented. At the same time, the people who have remained in Afrin are putting up an honorable resistance to the inhumane actions and fascism of the Turkish state and its gangs. Whatever the cost, the people of Afrin will not give up their essence, their soil and their history.

The Turkish state and the groups under its control are doing everything to force the women, men and young people still living in Afrin to surrender and to flee. Every day people are abducted, their property is confiscated and looted, there is extortion, rape and murder, and all kinds of methods of special warfare are used. We know that our people who remain in Afrin are fighting against this fascism and are resisting in order not to capitulate to the enemy.

The people from Afrin living in Shehba Canton continue to wait with great hope for their homeland to be liberated. Their lives are marked by the embargo of the Syrian regime and the artillery attacks of the Turkish state. Despite immense difficulties, they continue their resistance. They do not bow down and do not capitulate to anyone.

As members of this people and as the liberation forces of Afrin, we take this honorable attitude of our people as an order. We have been resisting since the beginning of the invasion of Afrin. In the new year, we will fight even harder to bring the occupation to an end. So far, we have not yet been able to fulfill the promise we made to our people and our martyrs. Afrin is not yet liberated, but we have dealt hard blows to the occupiers. So far, we have carried out over 400 actions against the occupiers. At least 900 occupiers have been killed in the process, and many more have been injured. Dozens of vehicles and weapons have been destroyed.

Both the displaced people and those who remain in Afrin must continue to do everything they can against the occupation. Above all, they must take a clear stand against those who act as agents and abduct and rape people. Our people must believe that we will bring this dirty policy to nothing. We have plans in this regard for the current year. We call on the youth to join the HRE. We will liberate Afrin this year and end the brutal oppression of the Turkish state.

It should be clear to the occupiers that we will be even more active this year. We are prepared to pay the necessary price for this. Even if the international community remains silent about the inhumane actions of the Turkish state, we will definitely win with the morale that our people and our martyrs give us."