Since the beginning of October, the Turkish army has increasingly attacked the civilian infrastructure and the civilian population in Northern and Eastern Syria. Numerous civilians were killed as well as many members of the defense and security forces. Despite the war crimes and the illegality of the attacks under international law, the international community remains silent.

Adalet Omer, chairwoman of the Women's Council of the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria, spoke to the ANF about the situation of the region in the international context. Omer said: "Our people, despite the mendacity and hypocrisy of the world, resist and overcome the difficulties of war. If you say you want to live freely, then resistance is the only way."

"The attacks never stopped"

Omer placed the current attacks in a broader context, saying that "the attacks carried out by the Turkish state that began on 5 October, targeted the livelihoods of the population. Because it was civilian settlements and vital infrastructure that were targeted. The Turkish government officials openly declared to the world that these places would be attacked, and they did so. The civilian population was attacked. In addition, security force facilities that ensure stability in the region were attacked. For example, an Asayish anti-drug unit was attacked, and 29 of its members killed. The attacks were intended to drive out the population and thus make it easier to occupy the region. Turkey wants to expand its occupied regions and draw borders in accordance with the Ottoman National Pact (Misak-i-Milli). The Turkish state is trying to change the demographic composition of the region by expelling the people who have lived on this land for centuries. At the same time, mercenaries and their relatives are being settled in the occupied areas in place of the original residents. With the help of such mercenary groups, the Turkish state wants to realize its plans and projects in the region. At the same time, the attacks are being intensified and continued."

"This project is feared because it is not based on domination"

But expansionism is not the only goal, said the Autonomous Administration representative: "The people here live in unity and solidarity. The people manage the region themselves and make decisions for themselves. It is a system in which the people organize themselves and do not need a government. This project is not a project of domination mentality. This is precisely why the project of the democratic nation, based on self-government, is feared. A war is being waged against a system of self-empowerment and organization of society. Because the control of the ruling systems over the people is becoming weaker. To prevent this model from becoming even stronger, the population will be massacred and the region’s infrastructure will be destroyed."

"The hegemonic powers are silent"

Omer spoke of Turkey's responsibility for the persistence of the crisis in Syria since the beginning of the 'Arab Spring' and said: "The Turkish state supported mercenary groups and criminal gangs of all kinds, thus plunging the region into a permanent crisis and catastrophe. The mercenaries and their supplies came to the region via Turkey. Currently, Turkey continues to support these mercenary groups in the occupied territories. The settlement of mercenaries and the attacks by the occupiers violate international law. Unfortunately, there is silence about the attacks, rapes, looting and massacres of the population in the occupied territories. This silence continues even in the face of the current serious attacks. The international powers do not even respect the laws that they themselves wrote. The Turkish state has completely broken international law. In which city or country is so much destruction taking place? In which country are residential areas and civilian facilities attacked and civilians massacred? Who is silent about this? These are the questions. But when it comes to Northern and Eastern Syria, everyone is silent. This silence means enabling the Turkish state to commit further crimes. This is nothing other than complicity. Because this system in which people organize themselves affects the interests of the hegemonic powers. To the extent that people in this system become self-aware and organize themselves. People in other countries also feel moved by it and are no longer willing to remain silent in the face of those in power. If people organize themselves, class society will be broken. That's why people shouldn't organize themselves and develop their own will. A conscious society that organizes itself can live without a state. This has already been proven in Northern and Eastern Syria. For this reason, states try to create a weak and enslaved society that is easy to rule. States, which have always tried to manipulate society, have taken control of even the simplest basic needs of society, such as bread and water. However, the system established in Northern and Eastern Syria has undermined this power-based politics throughout society."

"The US and Russia want to shape the region according to their interests"

Omer also commented on the US and Russian plans for the region, and said: "They are trying to shape not only Northern and Eastern Syria, but also the Middle East according to their plans and projects. Their main goal is to profit from the resources of the Middle East. We can clearly see in this context that they are trying to prepare the ground for religious, ethnic and cultural clashes between peoples. Turkish fascism's attempts to invade and intervene in the self-governing regions in Northern and Eastern Syria are aimed at creating the basis for an internal Kurdish-Arab conflict. This is particularly true in the Deir ez-Zor region. On the other hand, although many states are members of the international anti-ISIS coalition, they are also in some ways complicit in many war crimes that occur in the region. The Turkish state continues to try in many areas to weaken the system of self-government that has been created. By weakening the region, the hegemonic powers are trying to strengthen their own strength. That is why the peoples of the Middle East need the project of the democratic nation as much as bread and water. The democratic nation system is the only one in which peoples can freely live their language, culture, traditions and customs. Many countries have already tried to intervene in the Middle East using a variety of methods, but instead of solving the problems, they have only deepened them. The solution to the problems in the Middle East is not war. There is a system here in which no one kills or denies anyone else and in which everyone can live with their own language and culture."

"If you want to live freely, then you have to resist"

Omer said: "The Turkish attacks have continuously increased in recent years. This goes hand in hand with a new plan to occupy the region. In response to the attacks, people took to the streets and gave a clear signal of resistance. The people said that no matter what happened, they would not leave their country. This people has a great fighting spirit. It has been in a struggle since the beginning of the revolution and continues to organize. Despite the hypocrisy of the world, our people resist by overcoming all the problems of war. If you say you want to live freely, the only way is resistance. This fight will grow more and more."