The YPJ General Command made a statement regarding the victory against ISIS mercenaries in Hesekê's Xiwêran district.

The statement is as follows:

"In the person of our comrade Awaz Afrin, we pay tribute to all the martyrs of the operation in Hesekê, and we will keep our promise to the martyrs to protect the free country and to spread the Rojava Revolution.

ISIS mercenaries have been attacking women and peoples for years in order to establish an Islamic state. On January 20, they wanted to attack the Xiwêran District of Hesekê and spread darkness there. Undoubtedly, just as the Turkish state financed these mercenaries in the past, it has helped ISIS in this attack today. It is not a coincidence that the attack was carried out on the anniversary of the invasion of Afrin and the declaration of the Autonomous Administration. This date was specifically chosen. Just as the YPJ forces took the lead in destroying ISIS mercenaries when they first emerged, they also struggled relentlessly against the mercenary attacks in Hesekê's Xiwêran District.

The relevant states did not take any responsibility, did not take care of their citizens, and the United Nations did not take any stance on the solution to this international problem. The UN should see itself as responsible, especially for the so called children of the Caliphate issue, [children trained by ISIS] whose number exceeds 700.

Although we have crushed the attempt to revive itself made by ISIS with this prison attack, this does not mean that the danger has disappeared and the responsibility [to eliminate this danger] rests on the shoulders of all relevant parties.

Our forces waged a joint struggle with the SDF and the International Coalition for 7 days. Although ISIS mercenaries brutally attacked civilians, got the cells to forcibly settle in people's homes, and used the people as human shields, our forces carried out this operation in a planned and careful way. On the anniversary of the liberation of Kobanê, we once again defeated ISIS in a planned manner and the operation was completed without any harm to civilians.

'We will follow the path of the martyrs'

Since the day it was founded, the YPJ has taken its place with a leading spirit. In this operation as well, we have taken our place within the framework of ensuring the safety of women, the people and the country. We fulfilled our responsibilities with self-sacrifice in Hesekê's Xiwêran District. Comrade Awaz Afrin, one of the heroes of the YPJ, fell as a martyr in this operation. She fulfilled her duty with great responsibility and courage. Just as Arîn Mirkan sealed the revolution in Kobanê and Avesta Xabûr in Afrin, our comrade Awaz Afrin fought in the path of our immortal martyrs in Hesekê. Likewise, many of our comrades fought for all humanity with great courage and self-sacrifice in this operation and fell as martyrs.

We promise that we will follow the path of our heroic martyrs for the freedom of the peoples and the country. We will always be prepared to protect the values ​​and gains of the revolution.

We thank our people in Xiwêran, Neşwa, Zihur neighbourhoods and Hesekê for standing by our forces and supporting them. Likewise, we would like to thank HPC Jin and the Women's Public Security Forces for playing a major role in this operation and for fulfilling their responsibilities with self-sacrifice. This revealed that women represent the security of the revolution, the land, the people and the peace."