The Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM) released a statement on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
TEV-DEM said that the establishment of the SDF represented a new stage in the construction of a democratic and free society, adding that “this force emerged amid the darkness of terror and the sectarian and racist massacres imposed on the Syrian people by local and international powers. The founding of the SDF was a historic necessity for achieving the unity of the Syrian people. This unity is based on democratic values and the principles of freedom. Now, a foundation has been established for realizing the revolutionary goals of the Syrian people. These goals had been taken from them by ‘terrorist groups’ backed by the occupying Turkish state and foreign powers, and have now been reclaimed.”
Highlighting the SDF’s role in defeating ISIS, TEV-DEM said: “The defeat of ISIS gangs began with the Battle of Kobanê, which started in 2014 under the command of the YPG/YPJ. The defeat of the gangs continued until the final battle in Baghouz in 2019.”
The statement continued: “Through the idea of the democratic nation put forward by Leader Abdullah Öcalan, the unity of the social components of North and East Syria was achieved. This became the main path to defeating terrorism. Within the SDF are Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Armenians, Turkmens, Christians, Yazidis, and Muslims. In ten years, the SDF has proven to be the true representative of the peoples of North and East Syria, and indeed of all of Syria. This has become even clearer in the face of the collapse of the Ba’ath regime and the occupation by the jihadist political Islam forces in Damascus. The Damascus government has pursued genocidal policies against civilian and religious communities.”
Saluting the anniversary of the SDF’s founding, TEV-DEM recalled that the role of fighters, martyrs, and veterans constitutes the foundation of the achievements gained.
At the end of its statement, TEV-DEM called on the Syrian people and all social components: “Unite around the SDF and act together for the construction of a new, free, and democratic Syria. In doing so, we will build a decentralized democratic system in Syria, far from the reach of terrorism.”
TEV-DEM concluded by reaffirming its full support for the SDF.