During his staying in Syria and Lebanon Abdullah Öcalan often held public meetings with Rojava and the Syrian people.

Democratic Society Academy member Ebdulxenî Oso saw Abdullah Öcalan twice in Syria and Lebanon in 1991 and 1992. He talked to ANF about his meeting with Öcalan.

Ebdulxenî Oso said that he has been involved with the Kurdistan Freedom struggle for about 33 years and added: "I met the Kurdish Freedom Movement in 1984 through a friend. I started to know the movement, buying and reading books; I joined the work in 1987".

Oso recalled the first time he met with Öcalan. "We went to Bekaa Valley. As far as I remember, it was 5-6 days after the departure of Jalal Talabani (1991). When we first saw Leader Apo, we were excited. Tears of joy flowed from my eyes. We got power and energy from him."

Oso said that his second meeting took place in Damascus this time in 1992. "Öcalan told us that we have the power to solve the problems and that we should not expect to find a solution from others. Leader Apo was mostly staying in Syria and Lebanon. The society here was strong with him. The International Conspiracy hit all the peoples of the region."

In the 5-volume defenses, said Oso, Öcalan "has identified and offered solutions to the problems of Kurdistan and the Middle East. The Leader may be physically in jail, but his thought and mind are among us."

Oso added: "The leader's thoughts are an opportunity for all the peoples of the region. His ideas are like the sun. Just as the sun affects millions of people, so do the ideas of Leader Apo. Our struggle will continue to defeat and break the isolation imposed on him. The physical freedom of Leader Apo is the freedom of all peoples."