Sara Xelîl, co-chair of the Martyrs’ Families Council of the Euphrates Canton and a witness to what has been described as the “resistance of the century” in Kobanê, once again took her place in the resistance and spoke to ANF.
Xelîl said the resistance in Kobanê against ISIS attacks achieved victory on 26 January 2015 and added: “Our fighters resisted everywhere. In Kobanê, an unparalleled resistance was displayed with light weapons. They sought to annihilate the Kurdish people by cutting off the passage of the people of Northern Kurdistan (Bakur), but our parties there became a bridge that protected the Kurdish people and saved them from genocide. Our people in Northern Kurdistan also resisted at the border and maintained their resistance watches there until the very end.”
We achieved victory through an unbreakable will
Sara Xelîl stated that they achieved victory through an unbreakable will and said: “When it comes to the four parts of Kurdistan, all our people become one spirit. Even though Kurdistan is divided into four parts, when a war of genocide is imposed, we all unite, and through this our resistance reaches victory. This is exactly what happened in Kobanê. Our fighters resisted the lightest weapons, and those who were defeated in the battle for Kobanê were the mercenary groups and the states backing them. With ISIS’s terror mentality, they destroyed entire neighborhoods. Today, the dominant states are repeating history and continuing their attacks.”
Xelîl said the attacks were launched on the anniversary of Kobanê’s liberation but failed once again. She said: “They wanted to destroy Kobanê, but their plans are being thwarted. On every anniversary of Kobanê’s liberation, they try to carry out another genocidal attack. Last year they targeted the Tishrin Dam; now they want to destroy Kobanê through a siege. This time they launched the attacks from the Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud (Şêxmeqsûd) and Ashrafiyeh (Eşrefiyê), aiming to carry out the genocide from there. But once again they were defeated under the leadership of the great commander Ziyad. They then turned toward Kobanê, and now we are under a heavy siege, with no access to even necessities.”
Homes of the people are being looted
Sara Xelîl said that they are unable to meet even their most basic needs but remain steadfast in resistance, continuing as follows: “Their aim is to take revenge for their defeat in Kobanê. All essential necessities in Kobanê have been exhausted. We reject this, and we will never allow anyone to come between us. Even without electricity, water, baby formula, or any other basic needs, we will remain on our land. We will intensify our insistence on resistance and achieve victory through it. Homes in Kurdish villages affiliated with Kobanê are being looted by mercenary groups; people’s belongings and property are being stolen. The people cannot find their homes as they leave them. Wherever they stop their vehicles, they loot people’s houses.”
Xelîl concluded by thanking the people of Kurdistan and ended her remarks with the following words: “It is this people’s resistance that has ensured Kurdish victory. Although our people are under siege, our will and insistence on victory are growing stronger every day. We recognize nothing beyond our borders and our own will. If a single Kurdish finger bleeds, millions of Kurds rise.”