The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which visited North and East Syria yesterday, met with non-governmental organizations in North and East Syria.

The delegation met with the Autonomous Administration Foreign Affairs Bureau, Kongreya Star and the PYD in Qamishlo.

The independent commission made up of Nadine Menza, Vice President of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Steve Burger, pastor of the Bible Church in Nashville, Tennessee, first met with officials from the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

The American delegation was welcomed by Co-chair of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the Autonomous Administration, Deputy Co-chair Ebir Aliya, Co-Chair Advisor Mizgin Ehmed and the bureau's official spokesperson, Kemal Akif.

CRIMES OF THE TURKISH STATE WERE DISCUSSED

Official Spokesperson of the Autonomous Administration Foreign Affairs Bureau, Kemal Akif, stated that the political developments in the Northern and Eastern Syria regions and throughout Syria were evaluated. Akif continued, "We informed the American delegation about the violations of the Turkish state and its gangs against Kurdish, Arab, Syriac and other peoples and the policies of forced migration, murder, looting, sexual abuse, and changing the demographic structure in the occupied areas."

Akif noted that they evaluated the report prepared this year by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom and the importance of prosecuting those who violate human rights. He said, “The meetings were positive. We discussed the report the US Commission on International Religious Freedom regarding the region. We will wait for the report that the commission will send after returning to America.”

'PRESSURE MUST BE PUT ON THE USA AGAINST OCCUPATION'

After the meeting with the Autonomous Administration Foreign Relations Bureau, the delegation, which met with the Kongreya Star Coordination at the Kongya Star Foreign Affairs Office in Qamishlo, was welcomed by Kongreya Star Coordination member Asya Abdullah and Kongreya Star Spokesperson Remziya Mihemed.

During the meeting, which lasted more than an hour, the situation of women in the region, their achievements, the suffering and difficulties experienced by the peoples of the region, the role of women in the regions of North and East Syria in the political, military and social fields were discussed.

Giving information about the meeting, Kongreya Star Spokesperson Remziye Mihemed said, "The purpose of the delegation's visit was to get information about the activities of the Kongreya Star, the situation of women in North and East Syria, and the co-chair system of the Autonomous Administration."

Kongreya Star presented the documents including the crimes committed by the Turkish state against the members of the Kongreya Star Coordination in Kobanê.

Remziye Mihemed stated that the delegation is now informed about the suffering of women in the North and East Syrian regions due to the Turkish state's ongoing attacks and threats against the region, and said, "The delegation should put pressure on  the US to end the Turkish state's occupation of the region."

Foza Yusif, a member of the PYD Co-Presidency Council, said they talked about the violations of the Turkish state and its gangs in the occupied regions, the attempts to change the demographic structure, ethnic genocide and to transform the region into ISIS centers. Yusif added that ISIS flags in Serêkaniyê and Afrin are the most vivid example.

Foza Yusif pointed out that the Turkish state poses a threat not only to the Kurdish people but also to the entire region.

The US delegation emphasized that Northern and Eastern Syria is the only region where there is freedom of religion and culture and that it will support the preservation of stability in the region.

The delegation will also meet with the Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration in Raqqa.