While battles continue in the area of the Tishrin Dam nar Manbij, ANF spoke with YPJ fighter Amara Qamişlo about her life and involvement in the struggle. Amara Qamişlo, who comes from a patriotic family, stated that she became involved in work in Rojava following the revolution.

The female fighter, who joined the YPJ ranks in 2019, expressed her feelings as follows: “Joining the YPJ was a deeply personal experience and commitment on my part. The martyrdom of my aunt's son in the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) ranks had a profound impact on me. The course and ideology of the Rojava Revolution directed me toward the feeling that I had to join.” 

Comradeship among fighters

Commenting on the importance and value of comradeship among fighters, Qamişlo said: "Comradeship in our ranks is deeply valued and holds a special meaning.  For us, the most essential aspect is true comradeship. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it is as necessary as bread and water. During resistance and battles, comradeship is our foundation. The spirit of comradeship between female and male fighters is deeply profound. Their sense of voluntariness and commitment is even greater. The bond of thought and approach towards one another is incredibly strong. Those who knew each other beforehand feel an even greater sense of connection and emotional intensity when they meet in these ranks. For those who did not know each other before, the comradeship bond they build here creates incredibly powerful communication. When we look at each other or during a conversation, it feels as if we have been fighting side by side for years. Such is the spirit that exists here.”

"The nightmare and fear of the mercenaries" 

Amara Qamişlo stated, “When you step away from the frontlines, you often find yourself immersed in deep thoughts and self-reflection. My intense focus on ideas and questioning follows the same pattern. My mind is filled with questions like, 'What will happen? How will it end up?' or, given that we are a military force, 'What level will the war and the enemy's strength reach?'. However, when I arrived here, those questions and uncertainties disappeared. Our resistance, along with the resistance of all our comrades and the people, has clearly demonstrated that we are a powerful force. Now, we have become the nightmare and fear of the mercenaries.”

The YPJ fighter concluded: "Our people and society must know that we will continue to fight and resist until the very last drop of our blood. We will carry on our struggle for freedom as long as there is a single drop of life left in us. We now see that our people, driven by the spirit of the revolutionary people's war, have headed to the Tishrin Dam and become human shields. We draw strength from the spirit and stance of our people and society. In this way, we become even stronger.”