Kongra Star, the women’s umbrella organization in North-East Syria, released a statement regarding the Syrian Transitional Government’s attacks on the Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah in Aleppo.
The Kongra Star reads as follows:
“Don’t look away!
Follow the decision of the people of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah!
Stand up for human dignity and democracy!
The world knows that an unprecedented resistance was waged in the two districts for five days. The women and men of these districts fought until their last breath. They sacrificed themselves for the dignity and honour of the people.
The militias of the interim government and the Turkish state exposed the women who fought for their dignity and freedom in a cowardly and cruel manner. This is a war crime and an atrocity, and we all know it.
Those who stayed in Sheikh Maqsoud are now being held captive and massacred by these mercenaries. They are being humiliated and dozens have been abducted. Neither humanitarian institutions nor the press have access to these neighbourhoods, so they are unable to provide aid or report on the situation.
We call on the international community not to remain silent at this moment, but to follow the example of the people of Aleppo and stand up for human dignity.
We appeal to the public, as well as to all responsible institutions — especially women’s and human rights organisations — to not tolerate these acts, but rather to use all available means to end the ongoing massacres.
At the same time, we are demanding the establishment of an international commission of inquiry to investigate the war crimes committed in these two neighbourhoods.
International human rights organisations must urgently demand access to these neighbourhoods to document and prevent further warcrimes and atrocities.”