TAJÊ activist Dayê Şemê says Iraqi government is equally to blame for Turkish attacks on Shengal

Nine people were killed in Tuesday night’s Turkish airstrikes against Northern Iraq and Northern Syria, including three civilians in Shengal, two members of the Self-Defense Forces in Maxmur refugee camp and four SDF fighters guarding an electricity station in Derik. Dozens of people were injured.

According to the YBŞ (Resistance Units of Shengal / Yekîneyên Berxwedana Shengalê), 21 military targets were bombed in the Yazidi settlement area of ​​Shengal. Civilian targets were also attacked, and three civilians lost their lives. The YBŞ suffered no casualties.

“Why isn’t al-Kadhimi doing anything for the dignity of Iraq?”

People in Shengal blame the Iraqi government for Turkey’s constant attacks. Dayê Şemê (Şemê Remo) is a member of the Yazidi women’s movement TAJÊ and spoke to ANF about Turkey’s cross-border operations. The activist says that the Turkish state wants to wipe out the Kurdish people and is coordinating with Barzani’s party, the KDP, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Talks between al-Kadhimi, representatives of the Turkish state and the KDP took place a few days before the bombing.

Dayê Şemê points to an Iraqi flag that was shredded in the bombing and says: “Why is Iraq putting up with this? Why does it allow Erdogan to carry out these attacks? Al-Kadhimi recently visited the outskirts of Shengal. Immediately after this visit, our commander Seîd Hesen was killed in a targeted drone attack. We see this torn Iraqi flag. Why isn’t al-Kadhimi doing anything for the dignity of Iraq? How can he remain silent as prime minister when Iraqi territory is being bombed?”

Turkey, ISIS, US: Your plan also includes Shengal

The activist sees a direct connection between the failed attack on the Sina prison in Northern and Eastern Syria by the Islamic State on 20 January and the Turkish airstrikes: “Erdogan had the Islamic State to attack the prison in Hesekê. Because he was unsuccessful, he had our region bombed by fighter jets on Tuesday evening. Cooperation with the US is also clear in the case of the attack on Hesekê, because the US could have prevented this attack. They didn’t do that and their plan included Shengal as well. The Iraqi military movements in Shengal were intended to clear the way for ISIS. Why is the Iraqi government opening airspace to Turkey? Should the country only be defended on the ground? A prime minister who opens the airspace to another state will only stand by while his own country is occupied. If al-Kadhimi is silent about the attacks, then he shouldn’t call himself prime minister, because that doesn’t make any sense.”

“We can defend ourselves”

For Dayê Şemê, the YBŞ and the YJŞ women’s units are the only legitimate defense forces in Shengal, because fighters themselves come from the region. “As long as we are alive and the YBŞ-YJŞ exist, we will be able to defend ourselves against ISIS. We will continue to resist and not allow our enemies to succeed. The women and young people in Shengal can now defend themselves. We will not allow the dignity of the Yazidi community to be crushed.”

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