Dozens of Kurdish political parties and civil society organizations issued a joint statement condemning the attacks on Kurds in Aleppo and calling for international action to stop the crimes against Kurds and other minorities in Aleppo.
The joint statement by 90 Kurdish parties reads as follows:
“The Syrian Transitional Government’s attacks on the civilian population in the predominantly Kurdish districts of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyah and Bani Zaid in Aleppo are becoming increasingly brutal.
The object of the operation is to besiege the regions where 500,000 Kurds have resided for centuries. In the last four months, the Transitional Government had already perpetrated two significant military assaults targeting Kurdish civilians.
Since yesterday, groups affiliated with the Damascus government have intensified their siege of the Sheikh Maqsood, Ashrafiyahand Bani Zaid neighborhoods as part of an organized and overt crime; they have been carrying out intense artillery fire, surrounding residential areas with tanks, and posing a comprehensive threat of occupation.
Government forces have been adding to the oppression by kidnapping Kurdish youths and using them as human shields, pushing them to the front line of attack.
These new intensified attacks began shortly after talks on integrating the SDF into the Syrian Ministry of Defense were held on January 4. The SDF has shown great willingness to compromise on democratic integration, but it seems that the Syrian Transitional Government is attempting to bring the SDF to its knees through attacks on civilians. These attacks reveal the dishonesty of the Syrian Transitional Government, which is trying to enforce its dominance by force, in the same way that the Baath regime did.
The Kurds did not bow to ISIS in the past, and they will not bow down now. As Kurdish political parties and civil society organizations, we view the attacks against our people in Aleppo as a national issue, and we stand behind our people.
The politics of interest have led international powers to court the Syrian Transitional Government, thereby contributing to the creation of a new anti-democratic, aggressive, patriarchal, authoritarian regime. We call on all states and international organizations not to promote such a regime into a new Syrian dictatorship. A local problem can quickly turn into a global threat, as shown by the rise of ISIS.
We urge the Syrian government, particularly the Ministry of Defense, to reconsider its declaration of war against the Kurds in Aleppo and to engage in dialogue. Furthermore, we urge the government in Damascus to resume negotiations and avoid turning Syria into a proxy territory for hostile regional states, such as Turkey, that stand in the way of peace.
We also call on the United Nations, the United States, the member states of the European Union, and the Arab League to do all they can to stop the crimes against Kurds and other minorities in Aleppo.
Joint Statement of the Diplomacy Committee of Kurdish Political Parties and Civil Society Organisations and member organisations of the KNK as well as observers and guests of the KNK:
- Kurdistan National Congress – External Relations Commission (KNK)
- Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)- Yekîtiya Nîstimanî ya Kurdistan
- KCK – Koma Civakên Kurdistan – Kurdistan Democratic Communities Union
- Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) Partiya Demokratîk a Kurdistana Îranê
- Gorran Movement-Tevgera Gorran
- European Syriac Union (ESU)-Yekîtiya Sûryanîyên li Ewropa
- Syriac Union Party – Rojava-Partita Yekîtiya Sûryanîya-Rojava
- Bet-Nahrain Democratik Party – Partiya Demokratîk ya Bet-Nahrîn
- Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) – PJAK – Partî Jiyanî Azadî Kurdistan
- Democratic Union Party (PYD) – PYD – Partîya Yekîtîya Demokratîk
- European Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E)- Kongreya Civakên Demokratîk a Kurdistaniyên li Ewropayê
- Kurdistan Democratic Socialist Party (KDSP)- Kurdistan Democratic Socialist Party (KDSP)
- Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (El-Wehde)- Partiya Yekîtîya Demokratîk a Kurd li Sûrîyê (El Wehde)
- Kurdistan Islamic Party (PIK) – PÎK – Partîya Islamîya Kurdistan
- Komala (Iranian Kurdish Communist Organization)
- Kurdistan Judicial Association-Komela Dadgerî Kurdistan
- Kurdistan Democratic Socialist Party (KDSP)- Partiya Sosyalîst a Demokratîk a Kurdistanê (KDSP)
- Kurdistan Women’s Community (KJK)- Koma Jinên Kurdistan (KJK)
- Kurdish Women’s Movement in Europe TJK-E -Tevgera Jinên Kurd dli Ewropa
- Federation of Yazidis in Kurdistan-Federation of Êzidîs in Kurdistan
- Kurdistan Green Party – Rojava- Partiya Kesk a Kurdistanê – Rojava
- Green Party, Kurdistan Region of Iraq- Partiya Kesk, Herêma Kurdistana Iraqê
- Kurdistan Workers Party (Kurdistan Labor Party)- Partiya Kedkarên Kurdistanê
- Partiya Demokrat a Kurd a Sûriyeyê (PDKS)-Kurdish Democratic Party of Syria (PDKS)
- Syrian Kurdish Left Democratic Party (PÇDK-S)- Partiya Çep a Kurd a Sûriyê (PÇDK-S)
- El Partî Demuqratî Kurd – Suri – PDK-S – El Partî- The Kurdish Democratic Party – Syria- PDK-S – El Partî
- Kurdish Progressive Democratic Party of Syria (PDPK-S)- Partiya Demokrat a Pêşverû ya Kurd a Sûriyeyê (PDPK-S)
- Syrian Kurdish Left Party (PÇK-S)- Partiya Çep a Kurd a Sûriyeyê (PÇK-S)
- Kurdish Democratic Party of Syria (PDK-S) – Partî Demokratî Kurdî – Suriya P.D.K – S
- Kurdistan Liberation Party (PRK)- Partiya Rizgariya Kurdistanê (PRK)
- Kurdistan Green Party – European Kurdish Greens- Partiya Kesk a Kurdistanê – Keskên Kurd ên Ewropî
- Democratic Yarsan Organization- Rêxistina Yarsan a Demokratîk
- New Generation Kurdish Movement of Syria (TNKS)- Tevgera Nifşê Nû ya Kurd a Sûriyeyê (TNKS)
- Kurdistan Communist Party (KKP) – KKP – Partîya Kumunîsta Kurdistan
- National Democratic Union of Kurdistan (YNDK) – Yekîtî Neteweyî Demokratîkî Kurdistan
- Kurdish Institute of Brussels- Enstîtuya Kurdî ya Brukselê
- Federation of Êzidîs in Kurdistan (Nav-Yek)- Federasyona Êzidiyên Kurdistanê (Nav-Yek)
- Yazidi Union of Syria (HÊS)- Yekîtiya Êzîdiyên Sûriyeyê (HÊS)
- Civaka Islamîaya Kurdistan (CIK) – Islamic Society of Kurdistan
- Union of Free Women in Eastern Kurdistan (KJAR) – Koma Jinên Azad – Rojhilatê Kurdistanê
- FEDA – Federesyona Elewîyên Kurdistan
- The Supreme National Front of the Feyli (El Cephe El Feyliyya)-Enîya Bilinda Niştimanî ya Feylîyan (El Cephe El Feylîye)
- Congress of Yazidis in Russia-Kongreya Êzidiyên Rûsyayê
- Democratic Islamic Congress – Rojava-Kongreya Islama Demokratîk – Rojava
- Mesopotamian People’s Congress-Kongre Camayto di Bet Nahrin (Kongra Gelê Mezopotamya)
- Federal National and Cultural Autonomy of the Kurds of Russia-Otonomiya Federal a Netewî û Çandî ya Kurdên Rûsyayê
- Kurdistan People’s Democratic Party – Hewler-Bizûtneweyî Demokrati Gelî Kurdistan – Hewlêr
- Kurdistan Green Party-Partîya Keska Kurdistanê
- Syrian Yazidi Union (Rojava)-Yekîtîya Êzidiyên Sûrî (Rojava)
- Kurdistan Democratic Party- Surya-Partî Demukratî Kurdistanî- Syria
- Kurdistan Defenders Party-Parti Parezgerani Kurdistan
- Kurdistan Democratic Socialist Party – South Kurdistan-Partî Sosyalîstî Demokratî Kurdistan – Başur
- Partî Zahmetkêşanî Kurdistan-Party of Labour of Kurdistan
- Kurdistan Peace and Democratic Party – Rojava-Partiya Aştî ȗ Demokratîk ya Kurdistanî – Rojava
- Kurdish Democratic Left Party in Syria-Partiya Çepa Demokrat ya Kurd li Sûriyê
- Kurdish Left Party in Syria-Partîya Çepa Kurd li Suriya
- Mesopotamian-Assyrian Democratic Change Party-Partîya Guhertina demokratik ya Mezopotamya – Asurî
- Kurdish National Unity Party in Syria-Partîya Kombûna Niştimanîya Kurd li Sûrî
- Kurdish Communist Party – Syria-Partiya Komunista Kurd – Suriya
- Kurdistan Liberal Party, Rojava-Partiya Liberal ya Kurdistan, Rojava
- Yazidi Movement of Kurdistan (TEVDA) – Tevgera Ezidîyên Kurdistan
- Democratic Society Movement-Tevgera Civaka Demokratîk (Tev-Dem)
- Kurdistan Social Freedom Movement-Tevgera Azadiya Komelgeyî Kurdistan
- The New Kurdistan Movement – Rojava-Tevgera Nujena Kurdistan – Rojava
- International Union of Kurdish Organizations in CIS Countries-Yekîtiya Navnetewî ya Rêxistinên Kurdan ên li welatên YDS
- Kurdistan Revolutionary Union-Yekîtî Şoreşgeranî Kurdistan
- Observers and Guests/Çavdêr û Mîvan:
- Kurdistan Communist Party- PartyHizbî Şuî Kurdistan
- KOMELE (Communist Party of Iran – Kurdistan Representation) KOMELE (Hizbî Komûnîstî Îran – Sazûmanî Kurdistan)
- Islamic Unity of Kurdistan-Yekgirtuyî Islamî Kurdistan
- PYK-S El Wehdê
- PDPK-S – Kurdish Progressive Democratic Party in Syria- PDPK-S – Partîya Demokrata Pêşverûya Kurd li Surîaya
- Union of Kurdistans Parliamentarians – KPU-Yekîtîya Parlamenterên Kurdistan – KPU
- Member Institutes and Civil Society Organizations:/Enstîtût û Rêxistinên Medenî yên Endam:
- CDK-F – Coordination of Kurdish Democratic Society Centers – France- CDK-F – Koordînasyona Navendên Civakên Demokratîkên Kurd – Fransa
- The Center of Halabja against Anfalization and Genocide of the Kurds (CHAK)- Navenda Helebçeyê li dijî Enfalkirin û Jenosîda Kurdan
- Kurdish Institute – Germany- Enstituta Kurdî – Almanaya
- Kurdish Institute – Brussels-Enstituta Kurdî – Bruksel
- Kurdish Institute – Stockholm-Enstituta Kurdî – Stockholm
- Kurdish Institute – Switzerland-Enstituta Kurdî – Swîre
- Association of Families of Victims and Disappeared – KOMAW-Komela Malbatên Mexdûr û Wendahîyan – KOMAW
- Kurdistan Committee in Armenia-Komîteya Kurdistan ya li Ermenistanê
- People’s Assembly – Maxmur-Meclisa Gel – Mexmûr
- Yazidi Women’s Council SMJÊ-Meclisa Jina ya Êzidîyan SMJÊ
- Coordination of Kurdish Democratic Society Centers (KON-MED) Germany – Koordînasyona Navendên Civakên Demokratîkên Kurd – Almanya
- Margaret Education Center – Sulaymaniyah-Navenda Perwerdeya Margaret – Silêmanî
- Central Anatolian Kurdish Platform – PKAN-E-Platforma Kurdên Anatolîya Navîn – PKAN-E
- Platform of Horams- Platformî Horam
- Development and Progress Movement – South Kurdistan-Tevgera Geşedan û Pêşedanê – Başûr
- Union of Kurdish Institutions in Ukraine – MEDIA-Yekîtiya Saziyên kurd ên li Ûkraynayê – MEDYA