Turkey continues to attack Kobani鈥檚 women-led reconstruction

November 3, 2023
Issue 
YPJ drives ISIS out of Kobani
Members of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) celebrate their victory over ISIS at Kobani, on January 26, 2015.

Kurdish women and women from other peoples of northern Syria have built communal villages, cooperatives and educational institutes in Kobani (Koban锚), but they continue to face attacks nine years after the Islamic State (ISIS) launched its assault on the symbolic town, Peoples鈥 Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP) Women鈥檚 Assemblies Speaker Halide T眉rko臒lu on November 1, World Koban锚 Day.

Kobani is the site of a 鈥渓egendary resistance against ISIS鈥, where women鈥檚 solidarity broke through borders and established a new life, she said.

鈥淲hile the reconstruction continues in every area, the [Turkish] government, that cannot tolerate this victory, continues to bomb this town, in their never-ending hatred and animosity against the peoples of Kobani,鈥 T眉rko臒lu added.

鈥淭hey bomb civilian settlements to depopulate the area. The women and all peoples of Kobani continue to resist the government鈥檚 attacks while they build their new lives.鈥

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government in Turkey 鈥渟teals from (Turkey鈥檚) women for more bombs against the women of Kobani,鈥 she said.

The new model implemented in Kobani has created a new joint resistance for those who 鈥渋nsist on living together鈥, T眉rko臒lu said. 鈥淜obani is proof that an equal, just and common life is possible together with all its diversity.鈥

While the autonomous administration in northern Syria is led by a Kurdish majority, the project aims to give equal representation and voice to all ethnicity and faith groups living in the area, including Turkmens, Arabs, Armenians and Syriacs.

鈥淣o power, no tank, no weapon is strong enough to tear down this revolution that was built with such strife,鈥 T眉rko臒lu said, calling on all women to come together against Turkey鈥檚 attacks in the region.

The new model implemented in Kobani has created a new joint resistance for those who 鈥渋nsist on living together鈥, T眉rko臒lu said.

HEDEP鈥檚 co-chairs T眉lay Hatimo臒ullar谋 and Tuncer Bak谋rhan a joint statement for the day in Kurdish, Turkish and Arabic, saluting 鈥渉umanity鈥檚 victory against the darkness of ISIS in Kobani鈥.

鈥淲e know that the attacks on the lands of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) aim to finish what ISIS failed to do. We will never give up solidarity with the peoples of Rojava, where a common and democratic life is flowering,鈥 they said, by Rojava referring to a 35鈥40 mile [56鈥65 kilometre] strip in northern Syria along the border with Turkey.

鈥淚nternational solidarity from the peoples of the world with the Kobani Resistance gives light to our today and tomorrow. Happy World Koban锚 Day to the Kurdish people and all of the oppressed of the world.鈥

Turkey鈥檚 most recent against the region was launched after an attack against the central police headquarters in the capital Ankara. While the Turkish government maintains that the attackers received training in Kurdish-held Syrian territory, the Kurdish authorities have denied any involvement.

The Turkish attacks deliberately civilian infrastructure and have damaged vital power and water stations serving the region, some five million civilians.

[Reposted from .]

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