Amid chants of “Long live the resistance of Rojava,” more convoys from Qamishlo, Amûdê, and Dirbêsiyê entered the besieged city of Hesekê on Saturday. The people responded to a call for civil and military resistance against the impending offensive by the Syrian army and allied militias. “Here in Hesekê, we will win once again,” said one participant, speaking on behalf of many. The will to defend is unbroken.
The self-governing areas in northeastern Syria are currently preparing for a possible large-scale attack. Since the ceasefire was declared, the so-called Syrian transitional government has carried out massive troop movements and weapons transfers around Hesekê. The ceasefire agreed on Tuesday officially expires today at 8 p.m. local time. It is unclear whether it will be extended. According to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the agreement is being constantly violated by Damascus troops anyway. In a statement earlier today, SDF said that the Damascus government continues, in a systematic manner, its military preparations and field escalation in the Jazira and Kobani regions. On the other hand, two SDF fighters were wounded as a result of a suicide-drone attack by Damascus-affiliated factions on the village of al-Safa, south of the city of Çilaxa (al-Jawadiyah).
YPJ commander: A conspiracy against the revolution
A commander of the Women’s Defense Units (YPJ), Viyan Adar, welcomed the arriving convoy in Hesekê and praised the solidarity shown by all parts of Kurdistan and the diaspora with the resistance in Rojava. She interpreted the current developments as part of a strategic attack on the self-administration project: “What we are currently experiencing is a conspiracy against Rojava and its revolution. The international anti-ISIS coalition, which once fought with us against the so-called Islamic State, is now cooperating with a transitional government that has emerged directly from these jihadist structures.”
Unity is our answer
Representatives from the cities that traveled to the city emphasized the need for Kurdish unity.
Ebdulkerîm Saroxan, co-chair of the Democratic Islam Congress from Qamishlo, said: “Today is the day of unity—for Kurdistan and for all Kurds worldwide.”
Leyla Selman, a citizen from Amûdê, said: “Rojava will not fall. Rojava has always prevailed and will prevail this time too.”
Edle Misto from Dirbêsiyê emphasized that the attacks would not break the collective will: “Kurdish unity can overcome any conspiracy and any military aggression.”
Şehba Haşîm, a young activist from South Kurdistan, also spoke in Hesekê: “We are here to strengthen the Kurdish line of defense—together.”
Afterwards, a convoy of hundreds of vehicles drove through the streets of Hesekê.