SDF spokesperson Hena calls on international community to take steps against Turkish attacks

Speaking about the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fight against ISIS, spokesperson Aram Hena told ANHA: “We have launched many military operations against the terrorist ISIS organization, because we want to make regions and cities a safe place. We fought hard against ISIS, especially in the Manbij operation. We gave more than 500 martyrs to defend and liberate the city. On 15 August 2016, we declared that we liberated Manbij. The invading Turkish state launched an operation and occupied Jarablus and Ezaz. They started to invade Syrian regions on 24 August 2016.”

Emphasizing that terrorists are using Turkish territory to cross into Northern and Eastern Syrian regions, Aram Hena said: “They received medical, logistical and military support from Turkey. All this has been documented by the confessions of many terrorists. Many documents and passports bearing the signature of the invading Turkish state were seized. The Turkish state has been the historical enemy of the region. It carried out many massacres against Kurds, Assyrians and Assyrians. The invading Turkish state saw the Autonomous Administration project as a threat to its fascism.”

Drawing attention to the SDF role in defending the region from ISIS, Aram Hena said: “We have full confidence that we will defeat the invading projects. The Kurdish, Arab and Assyrian peoples who were exposed to the terror of the Ottoman state and continue to be exposed to this terror are the targets. Everyone who follows the situation in Syria knows the intention of the Turkish state. The Turkish state has been attacking from the very beginning to further occupy Syrian territory and to destroy the security project that was achieved thanks to the price paid by the SDF in the fight against terrorism.”

Emphasizing the multiple colours of the SDF, Aram Hena said: “We are happy that the SDF embraces the Syrian identity as well as the many different identities. Because differences do not mean disagreement. Kurds, Arabs and other peoples formed this force. We decided to clear all our regions from ISIS and declared the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria within the framework of building a free and honourable life. This is what makes us believe in this project so strongly.”

Drawing attention to the Turkification policies in the occupied regions, Aram Hena said: “The invading Turkish state has committed many crimes. And it is still doing so in the areas it occupies. It imposed the Turkish lira and its identity. It implements assimilation policies in education and service buildings.”

Noting that the invading Turkish state is trying to change the demographic structure of the regions it occupies through the mercenaries it supports, Aram Hena added: “Everyone sees that there are no local people in Serêkaniyê anymore. Syriacs and Assyrians were the main peoples of the region. There are no Kurds left in the region. This is true in Afrin, Serêkaniyê, Jarablus, Ezaz, Bab and all regions under Turkish occupation.”

Stating that the occupied regions paved the way to terrorism, Aram Hena said: “Terrorist organizations such as ISIS, which were defeated in the regions of Northern and Eastern Syria, are re-emerging in Serêkaniyê, Girê Spi and other regions occupied by the invading Turkish state.”

Calling on the international community to take serious steps against the Turkish invasion, Aram Hena said: “We have contacted regional and international parties to reveal the crimes and practices of the invading Turkish state and its affiliates in the region.”