The PYD General Council issued a written statement to mark the second anniversary of the invasion of Afrin by the Turkish state and its mercenaries.

The PYD statement said: "We left behind the 2nd year of the Afrin invasion by the fascist Turkish state and its mercenaries. The invasion caused thousands of displaced people who were forced to leave their houses. Throughout this occupation, the Turkish state and its mercenaries have carried out crimes against humanity, changed the demographic structure of the region and violated all international laws and conventions."

The statement added: "While in Syria war has deepened in these long 10 years of conflict, in the North and East Syria regions, security and peace have been preserved, and the Democratic Autonomous Administration project based on the brotherhood of the peoples and self-defense philosophy has been implemented, leading to changes and a new life in this part of Syria. This situation clearly angered some of the parties involved in this war for their own interests."

The statement continued: "Because of the success of the Autonomous Administration experience, our regions have been the target of those who have a finger in the Syrian crisis, beginning with the Turkish state. Because of our resistance against those who created the crisis and the destruction, the Turkish state has attacked Northern and Eastern Syrian."

The PYD reminded that Afrin thanks to the successful implementation of the Autonomous Administration model had "become the main refuge of Syrian civilians fleeing the war in their region and the population had reached 450 thousand before the Turkish invasion attacks. The Turkish state started its invasion attacks on 20 January 2018 wanting to frustrate the democracy experience and peace in Northern and Eastern Syria."

The Epochal Resistance

The statement underlined the Epochal Resistance carried out by the people of Afrin against the attacks. "This historical resistance has raised the spirit of Kurdistan and created a real solidarity in all four parts of Kurdistan. The resistance against the Turkish state which used all advanced technical weapons as well as thousands of mercenaries lasted for 58 days and resonated all over the world."

The PYD once agains condemned the violations and crimes against humanity carried out by Turkey and strongly emphasize that "there is no solution to serve the Syrian people but the withdrawal of the Turkish state from all the territories it has occupied, beginning by Afrin.

On this basis, we call on all of our people, components and democratic forces to unite by fulfilling their moral and national duties in order to stand up to all the dangers created by the Turkish state and its mercenaries and to work to ensure the invaders leave."

The PYD commended the refugees and displaced people of Afrin who settled in Shehba and continue to carry out their resistance in the camps. "We reiterate the promise that we will resist until the liberation of Afrin is achieved and people were be able to return to their homes. We respectfully commemorate the members of our heroes in the YPG and YPJ and all those who fell martyrs in the occupation attacks. The Epochal Resistance in Afrin is in its second phase. 
We salute the resistance of the Afrin Liberation Forces (HRE) and reiterated that we will achieve victory as we promised the martyrs."