The central headquarters of the women's guerrilla troop YJA-Star has issued a statement on occasion of the international plot that led to the deportation of Abdullah Öcalan from Kenya to Turkey on February 15, 1999. The statement includes the following:

"Rêber Apo [Leader Abdullah Öcalan] created the Kurdish people's struggle for democracy and freedom. We damn his arrest in the biggest plot of the 20th century and his imprisonment in the torture system on Imrali for 22 years. Knowing that the plot has been directed against humanity, Kurdish people and women, we reiterate our determination to extend the struggle. We commemorate the sacrificial martyrs who formed a ring of fire without hesitation and risked their lives in the "You cannot darken our sun" actions to show their solidarity with Rêber Apo and their hatred for the enemy to all the forces involved in the plot.

The plot of February 15, 1999 enters its 23rd year. The greatest response to the plot supported by international powers was undoubtedly given by Rêber Apo himself, when he resisted all forms of torture on physical, mental and spiritual levels. Our martyrs and our people fought with great courage and sacrifice. The USA, the EU countries and Israel, which are mainly involved in the plot, have been supported by Kurdish collaborators so that the plot continues as they wish. As it has happened many times in our history, the forces that could not stop the Kurdish people's struggle have relied on collaboration and betrayal. Certain Kurdish parties, which claim to represent the Kurdish people, have played a decisive role in the plot. The Turkish state, acting in accordance with the directives and support of hegemonic powers, now wants to use the same line of collaboration for its genocidal policy against the Kurdish people.

Although the current attacks of the fascist Turkish war government on the Medya Defense Zones are an open occupation operation in South Kurdistan, the forces in South Kurdistan do not react against it and even legitimize it. The fact that an invasion of Gare is taking place 22 years after the arrest of Rêber Apo means an insistence of the hegemonic forces and the Turkish state on the Kurdish genocide. The international plot has thus been revised. Rêber Apo stands for the peoples' hope for freedom. The treatment towards him corresponds to the approach to the people who are fighting for freedom and democracy. This struggle is led by the Kurdish people and their liberation movement.

The Turkish state is determined to subject the Kurdish people to genocide. Especially since 2015, the isolation of Rêber Apo has intensified. In parallel, the fascist crackdown on the Kurdish people, the Kurdistan Liberation Movement and the women-led peoples’ resistance has been taken to the highest level. In this struggle, the male and female fighters of the HPG and YJA-Star as self-sacrificing militants of Rêber Apo have put up legendary resistance. The guerrillas are active from Northern Kurdistan to the Medya Defense Zones, proving once again their invincibility. The fight in Heftanin led by the YJA-Star has caused an echo in the worldwide public and put a stop to the zeal of the Turkish occupying army and its collaborators.

The "Stop isolation, occupation, fascism! Time for freedom!" campaign initiated by the KCK is growing every day through the struggle of the sacrificial Apoist guerrillas in the mountains, in all four parts of Kurdistan and worldwide through the struggle of the peoples led by women. The time has come for the freedom of Rêber Apo and all peoples. More and more people are joining this view. The resistance ongoing in the prisons since November 27 shows friend and foe once again that a life without Rêber Apo is not acceptable under any circumstances.

We have learned the resistance and the sacrificial struggle from Rêber Apo. His unceasing struggle has given strength and hope to all peoples striving for freedom and continues to do so today. We are determined to lead this struggle, to develop a fight worthy of Rêber Apo’s resistance and to conclude it with a victory. We will bring to account the powers involved in the conspiracy and the collaborators and traitors who provided support. Following the footsteps of Zîlan, Sema, Doğa, Zinar, Sara, Delal, Êgid, Yilmaz and Zin, we will let a time come when we will meet Rêber Apo in a free life. The time has come to live with Rêber Apo in a free Kurdistan."