‘Kobanê became the forerunner of a new spirit’

“Erdogan’s threats against the region persist,” Raqqa Legislative Assembly Co-chairman Xalid Bekir remarked, noting that all sovereign countries are opposed to the democratic country concept, which is why the attacks continue. “They’re doing everything they can to destabilize and evacuate the region,” he stated.

Xalid Bekir, Co-Chairman of the Raqqa Legislative Assembly, answered the ANF’s questions on the anniversary of Kobanê’s liberation.

What was ISIS’ motivation for attacking Kobanê, and why specifically Kobanê?

First and foremost, the purpose was to break the Kurdish people’s will and destroy their actuality. Because, for the first time in Rojava, the Kurdish people’s will came to the fore. And ISIS was not alone. Those who participated in the founding of ISIS, as well as their followers, attacked Kobanê. Kobanê put up great resistance.

As one of the witnesses, can you describe the resistance there?

Kobanê left a resistance spirit in history. A terrorist force like ISIS, which encountered little resistance wherever they went, including Mosul, encountered significant resistance in Kobanê. The Turkish government similarly worked to bring Kobanê down. From the very beginning, the Turkish government has been a supporter of ISIS. The Kobanê resistance expanded throughout the world. Especially after Rêber Apo’s [Abdullah Öcalan] call, crowds of young people from all around Kurdistan and Europe descended on Kobanê to join the resistance. Hundreds of young people joined the resistance, fought, and fell as martyrs.  On the streets of Kobanê, there was resistance and hope. All around Kobanê, groups of young people were demonstrating strong resistance and national solidarity. Hundreds of internationalists came to Kobanê to join the resistance. This highlighted the depth of Kobanê’s spirit of resistance and aspiration for independence. Advocates of liberty and free will from all over the world were flocking to Kobanê. In this spirit, Kobanê was liberated.

The elimination of ISIS in Kobanê was the first step towards their downfall in the region. As a result, the Turkish state has not stopped its attacks until today. The Turkish state is doing everything it can to hinder the realization of the democratic nation project. It has no tolerance for all of the peoples that live in North-East Syria assembling under the same roof of the autonomous administration. As a result, when it comes to the Kurds, the forces that have always been at odds and hostile to each other throughout history join together. The agreements between these forces were showing themselves in Kobanê once again. Today, these forces are still united in their anti-Kurdish hostility. Playing a significant role in the fragmentation of Middle Eastern peoples, they also played a major role in the invasion of Afrin, Serêkaniyê, and Girê Spi.

Can we say that Kobanê was the first place where the democratic nation project was implemented?

All of the ruling powers are opposed to this endeavour because it has shown the true face of these dominant forces. This is the only reason why the attacks are still going on. Erdogan’s threats towards the region have not abated. He is continuously looking for methods to cause havoc in the region. They are attempting to disrupt and evacuate the region. This endeavour is against people’s salvation, hope, and future.

Can you tell us about a particular point in the resistance that had the most impact on you?

The sorrow of the fighters as the people migrated was one of the incidents that struck us the most during the Kobanê resistance. All of those fighters fought till the end and fell as martyrs. When we arrived in Kobanê, everything revolved around the resistance. The spirit of resistance was overwhelming. Kobanê resisted in this spirit, and ISIS was defeated.

YPJ fighters were another emblem of the Kobanê struggle. Women led a war and revolution for the first time in history. Women did not only participate in the battle in Kobanê; they also commanded and directed it. This is one of the reasons it caused such a stir around the world.