The General Command of People’s Defense Units (YPG) released a statement marking the second anniversary of the occupation of Afrin by the Turkish army and allied mercenaries.

The statement by YPG General Command includes the following:

"Two years have passed since the Turkish state and their mercenary proxies began the occupation of Afrin which still continues until today. They commit every kind of human rights violations and demographic change. The occupation started with Afrin and continues with Girê Spî (Tal Abyad) and Serêkaniyê (Ras al Ain) and without knowing any borders carries out a massacre and genocide against our people and the people of Northern Syria.

The Turkish state is attempting with all its force to legitimize their occupation and are expanding their attacks against northern Syria and western Kurdistan (Rojava) and are destroying the democratic progress that has been made by our people in regards to free co-existence with the aim of creating obstacles for further progress and development in western Kurdistan (Rojava) and northern Syria. The occupation and demographic change which they day by day are carrying out is a continuation of the occupation of Afrin which started 2 years ago. Today, in the cities of Girê Spî (Tal Abyad) and Serêkaniyê (Ras al Ain), they are expanding their fascist occupation and are changing the demographics of the region.

Today, all different types of human rights violations along with ethnic cleansing are being carried out in Afrin. Destruction and theft of the city’s wealth and theft of people’s land and properties is being carried out in a systematic way. The geography of Afrin is left face to face with the results of the fascist actions of the Turkish state. The entire world remained silent against the occupation of Girê Spî (Tal Abyad) and Serêkaniyê (Ras al Ain) and also remains silent against the occupation of Afrin which started two years ago and still see the occupation carried out by the Turkish state as legitimate and have shown no effort in taking necessary action against this occupation.

As YPG and YPJ, we will not remain silent against the expansion of the occupation and the actions that are being carried out by the fascists. We commit ourselves to the struggle and resistance with the aim of liberating Afrin and our people. We also commit ourselves more than ever before to resist against the occupiers and their expanding occupation and to more than ever before protect the value of our people and the achievements of the revolution. In this regard, we commemorate all martyrs of the Resistance of the Age and repeat our oath to our people to liberate Afrin. We will continue our struggle in every way in order for our people to be able to return to their sacred land."