Thousands of people gathered in front of the Human Rights Monument in Koşuyolu Park in Amed and marched to Ofis district to protest the attacks carried out by armed groups affiliated with the Syrian Transitional Government against the Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiah in Aleppo.
The march was attended by the co-chairs of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar and Keskin Bayındır, as well as representatives of many political parties and civil society organizations.
The crowd marched carrying a banner reading “Defending Rojava means defending humanity” and a poster of Abdullah Öcalan, chanting slogans such as “Long live the resistance of Rojava,” “Long live the resistance of Sheikh Maqsoud,” “Women, life, freedom,” and “Murderer HTS, collaborator ISIS.”
DBP co-chair Keskin Bayındır said that the attacks in Aleppo were planned and said that the Kurdish people, including women, children, and civilians, are under heavy attack.
Bayındır recalled that “for three days, attacks with tanks and artillery against Kurdish neighborhoods have continued, yet the world remains silent,” adding: “There is long-standing preparation behind these attacks.”
Bayındır said that Turkey supports the HTS and that these attacks aim to sabotage the peace process in Turkey.
Bayındır continued: “Just as you previously undermined it using ISIS, now you want to do the same by using HTS as an excuse. We know your intentions well, we read them clearly. We will resist your bad intentions.”
Emphasizing that the attacks on Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiah are an attack on all of Kurdistan, Bayındır said: “You don’t only want to end Aleppo, you want to end Rojava. But know this: Rojava has hundreds of millions of defenders. The Kurdish people do not accept these attacks. That is why everyone should come to their senses. Just as they were driven back from Kobanê, they will be driven back from Rojava and from Aleppo as well.”