The Turkish army continues to bomb Afrin and the surrounding villages. The bombing contiues on day 24. Sounds of explosions continue from early morning to midnight, and jets fly throughout the day, as intense clashes continue in Afrin’s villages and hills.

It could be seen that the Turkish army has suffered heavy blows, large numbers of soldiers have died and Turkish state officials and media failed to conduct the psychological warfare as they would like. Meanwhile, the people of Afrin are resolved to continue their lives in their own lands in resistance. Life continues with all livelihood in the city. On one hand there are preparations for the battle front, and on the other all the bustle of life. The shopkeepers tend their businesses, the people tend to their needs in the bazaar. Children and the elderly are in the parks.

In barcovision screens throughout the city, footage from YPG and YPJ actions are broadcast. The war has become part of daily life, just as the resistance has. We wonder what the people on the streets think about the current situation. The people are furious at the Turkish army’s invasion attacks. They speak very harshly. The Afrin man we offer our microphone to in a park calls on the Kurds to come together and says: “We as the people of Afrin will never abandon Afrin. The Turkish state jets or mortars can’t scare us away. However they attack us, we are not afraid. Allah permits, we will prevail. Erdoğan should never think he can step foot on the sacred lands of Afrin. Northern, Southern and Eastern Kurdistan should rise up, they should not accept what is being done to the Kurdish people. We Kurds are one, wherever we are we must stand united. Serkeftin, Serkeftin!”

Another resident of Afrin refers to Turkey and Erdoğan and says: “I don’t know what they want from us, we are on our own lands. These are absolute infidels, this has nothing to do with being a Muslim. If they had any humanity they wouldn’t do this.”

The Afrin resident who says he is from the Bilbile district calls on the guerilla and says the following on his loyalty to his lands: “I migrated from Bilbile to Afrin center. Whatever weapon Erdoğan uses to attack us, he won’t prevail. I want our fighters to advance, I want all the people to rise up. They should stand with the people. We will not abandon our lands until our last breath. I wish success to YPG and YPJ. I want the fighters in the mountains to also come to our aid.”

Another Afrin resident says the same thing in different words: “May Allah be with our fighters. We will not abandon our lands, our lands are sacred for us. We will stay here until we shed our last drop of blood and we won’t abandon our lands. I wish success to YPG and YPJ.”

As we wrap up our street interviews, another Afrin resident asks for the microphone and says the following on the resolve of the resistance: “Erdoğan should know that for every child of ours who is martyred 10 others will go in his place. We will build 100 new houses for every house torn down. We will plant 500 more trees for each olive tree that is broken. We will all help each other and we will not let Afrin fall. They can’t enter here.”