Kongra Star reminded in its statement marking the 3rd anniversary of the invasion of Afrin carried out by Turkey that “the people showed unprecedented resistance and responded to all forms of violence, from attacks with heavy weapons to the bombing carried out by the Turkish air force. This resistance, which extended from the border villages to the city centre, was characterised by the steadfastness of its resistance fighters and lasted 58 days, marked by the courageous struggle of those martyrs such as Avesta Xabûr and Barîn Kobanê.”

Kongra Star reminded that“the Turkish state was able to occupy Afrin only after using the heaviest weapons and tens of thousands of jihadist mercenaries, within the ranks of the so-called Free Syrian Army, and with the cover and silence of the international community. All this happened at the expense of the Syrian people who were forced to flee by the occupation after suffering from violence and crimes such as looting, bloodshed, war crimes, destruction of ancient places, cutting down of trees, demographic change, banning of their own mother tongue, imposing the Turkish language.”

Kongra Star reminded that “before the occupation, Afrin was one of the most stable and secure areas, characterised by cultural diversity and coexistence, as well as a refuge for the displaced people from the Syrian interior who came to Afrin as a result of the long-lasting war. Moreover, the social project of the autonomous administration was one of the best solutions to the ongoing war in Syria to eliminate all forms of racism and religious fundamentalism.”

The statement also underlined that “after the Islamic State (ISIS) was defeated by the fighters of the SDF, YPG and YPJ, the Turkish state showed itself as the highest representative of ISIS, and set off to destroy our revolution. However, the Turkish state is not satisfied with this occupation and continues its attacks in order to achieve its aim of destroying the project of democratic autonomy. Thus, it occupied the areas of Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî / Tel Abyad and continues its attacks on the regions of Shehba, Ain Issa, Zirgan and Til Temir. All this in front of the eyes of the world, as well as those institutions and bodies that are committed to human rights but have remained silent. They have remained silent and have done nothing.”

Kongra Star condemned and denounced “these international organisations as well as human rights bodies as with their silence support the occupation, the systematic ethnic and cultural genocide that is taking place in the region as well as the demographic change, forced displacement and violence that is happening every day to the people of Afrin, against the land and the people, thus extending the threat to the other regions.” The statement end with a call on “these human rights bodies to intervene and fulfil their humanitarian and human rights duty and work to end the occupation, allow the people of Afrin to return to their homes and ensure their safety and protection.”