SDF commander Baz Cindirês: We will defend our lands together with our people

Since Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan threatened to invade northeast Syria again, the Turkish army and its Islamist allies have increased their military movements in front of Til Temir, Ain Issa and Manbij.

Baz Cindirês is one of the commanders of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the front line of Girê Spî. He spoke of military columns moving on the border of the occupation zone. “The Turkish state – he said – held meetings with jihadist groups in the occupied territories. The reason for the new threats is obvious. The Turkish state has been attacking the Medya Defense Areas [in Southern Kurdistan / Northern Iraq] for a while. The war between the guerrillas and the Turkish army continues. The Turkish state has suffered great losses and is stuck. It is in distress in Idlib. For this reason, it is looking for a way out of the confused situation, which is why it wants to attack Northern and Eastern Syria.”

“We are prepared to face any kind of attack”

The SDF commander pointed out the problems in the Turkish occupation zone in northern Syria: “The people of Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî are angry and worried. In Afrin, women and minors are kidnapped for a ransom. There have been several heavy clashes in Girê Spî. All of this brings the Turkish state increasingly into distress.”

Commander Baz Cindirês noted that the Turkish state has always threatened the autonomous region of northern and eastern Syria. After the invasions of Afrin in 2018 and Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî in 2019, the SDF units received further training. Commander Cindirês referred to the fight against the Islamic State and said: “The fight against ISIS is, of course, different from the war against states. After the territorial rule of ISIS was brought to an end, the SDF received training in the fight against sleeper cells and in particular in defending against the war technology of the 21st century. We have now prepared our forces to respond to any kind of attack on northeast Syria.”

The Turkish state is waging war against the autonomous region using various methods. Commander Cindirês continued: “From Ain Issa via Til Temir and Manbij to Shehba, artillery attacks are constantly taking place everywhere. The attacks are mainly directed against the civilian population. The Turkish state is violating all regulations of international martial law. The principle that civilians must be protected has been constantly violated by the Turkish regime. Dozens of civilians were killed as a result of the Turkish attacks, and great damage was done in residential areas.

Armed drones have also been used recently to attack civilians. These attacks are mainly directed against people who worked for the revolution. The Turkish state does not differentiate between civilians and armed units. Nor does it differentiate between Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs and Circassians. Anyone who contributes to the revolution is a potential target. The Turkish state uses traitors for these attacks. The population, and especially patriotic families, must be vigilant in this regard. They must not give the traitors who work against the revolution and for the enemy any opportunity or space.”

The Assad regime wants to use the Turkish threats for its own benefit

The SDF commander said that the Assad regime’s media reported widely about the threats of invasion from Turkey. “It is said, for example, that the Turkish state can attack at any time and has gathered jihadist mercenaries from Idlib and other places. This is part of the psychological warfare against the people of northeast Syria. They want to show that the SDF cannot defend the people and they want people to side with the regime. However, the population is able to see the political intent behind it. The people of Northern and Eastern Syria are highly politically conscious and do not take this form of psychological warfare seriously. They know there is nowhere to go if their home is occupied. They also know that life in occupied territory is the life of slaves. That’s why they don’t trust anyone and only rely on the SDF. Likewise, we also draw our strength and morals from the population. Northeast Syria has been liberated by the people and the SDF together and together we will continue to defend the region.”