On 22 January, two female members of the PYD were attacked in Al-Shedad (Heseke). They were Sada al-Harmoush and (co-chair of the City Council) and Hind al-Khedr (person in charge of the economic committee).

The PYD Women's Council issued a statement to condemn the killings which have now been claimed by ISIS.

The statement reads: "From the beginning of the revolution until today, women in north-eastern Syria have always been the main targets, fighting against the patriarchal and conservative elements in society with their resistance and striving for a free life. It is becoming clear that the commitment of women everywhere is a complete success. In the fight against terror, women have always played a significant role and still the fight continues as they want to end the mentality and consciousness of IS once and for all."

The statement continues: "We are in a very sensitive phase and era. Arab women who want to distance and detach themselves from both the patriarchal consciousness and the IS ideology are being targeted as it is not desired that they become members of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), for example, as the basic concept of this party is to strive for a free society based on women’s liberation.
This attack was meant to weaken the security structures and to break the strength and will of the women who have courageously declared war on patriarchy, as friends like Hevrin, Arin and Zilan have done."

The PYD Women’s Council adds: "We stand here today with respect and reverence for our murdered friends and firmly pledge that we will not rest until there is no more room for murder, violence and terrorism in our society. We promise that we will honour the memory of these two women and continue the path they started with their resistance and we will support all women’s struggles in this world and never allow the will for women’s freedom to be broken worldwide!"