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Proposed Military Strike on Syria


John Simkin

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Liberating Sinjar and Kobanê today
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In Sinjar

The anti-ISIS common-front struggle in Sinjar is continuing despite bad weather conditions and fears that the thousands of civilians on Mount Sinjar are at increasing risk. Clashes in the Sinjar town center continued without interruption from last night to this morning.

The Joint Forces of Defense carried out an attack against the ISIS gangs in a house in the Hay Nasir neighborhood late yesterday evening. Two ISIS fighters were killed as guerrillas entered the house. Arms and ammunition belonging to the gangs was seized in the attack.

The HPG (People's Defense Forces) Sinjar Command and the YBŞ (Sinjar Resistance Units) General Command said in a statement yesterday that the Berbiroj Neighborhood, areas at the entrance of Sinjar town and the Girê Birç (Birç Hill) are now under the control of their forces. HPG and YBŞ forces have been deployed in the Sitiya Zeynep castle they seized when ISIS gangs attempted suicide attacks in an aim to retake the Berbiroj Neighborhood.

In an earlier report the joint forces of the resistance said that they carried out an operation yesterday afternoon targeting the ISIS gangs who were preparing an attack in the lower area of the Sitiya Zeynep castle where the liberation forces were deployed. At that point the resistance forces could report that they had killed two ISIS fighters and had seized arms and ammunition belonging to the gangs as well as the identity card of an ISIS fighter by the name of Ebû Teyfa from Til Afar. The ISIS gangs then attacked the Sitiya Zeynep castle from two sides early this morning, the attack was repelled with fierce fighting and the castle was taken.

Clashes have since intensified in the Suka Jêrê, Heyu Yermuk and Heyu Nasır neighborhoods as the liberation forces press forward. ISIS is using heavy weapons and tanks they seized from the Iraqi army in Mosul and Ambar cities, but the resistance forces have blown up an ISIS ammunition storehouse close to the Sinjar town center.

The Joint Resistance Forces of Sinjar also reporting having rescued a mother, two children and another wounded young person who had been held captive by the ISIS gangs in Sinjar.

The emergency on Mount Sinjar

Thousands of civilians on Mount Sinjar are facing challenging conditions with the onset of winter. The Kurdish people in Rojava and in South Kurdistan are sending aid to them through the corridor recently reopened by the heroic liberation fighting forces. The deteriorating conditions are posing serious problems for the people and emergency aid is desperately needed.

News from Kobanê

Fighting in Kobanê has gone into the 100th straight day. We have reported here on the fighting around the Cultural Center on the south-eastern front which was liberated following an operation two nights ago. That area is still being cleansed of ISIS fighters. One heroic fighter of the Defense Units who was wounded during the operation there has died. The number of casualties couldn't be verified when we put this report together.

Clashes broke out around the village of Ebu Quseyb, north of Til Hamis. The number of casualties there also couldn't be clarified as fighting in the area is still continuing.

We know of 4 fighters of the YPG/YPJ (People's/Women's Defense Forces) who have fallen while putting up a brave fight against the ISIS gangs in this area.

The refugees in Turkey--an emergency situation

The Kobanê Crisis Coordination effort held a press conference in front of the Suruç Municipality regarding the situation of the Kobanê refugees who have had to cross to the Turkish side of the border and the attitude of the Turkish government regarding the Kobanê resistance.

The press conference was attended by progressive Van deputies Aysel Tuğluk and Kemal Aktaş, HDP (People's Democracy Party) deputies İbrahim Ayhan, Faysal Sarıyıldız, the family of Sibel Bulut (Eylem Deniz) who recently fell in Kobanê, the co-mayor of Suruç Zuhal Ekmez, local leaders of the DBP (Democratic Regions Party) and other local people.

The independent deputy for Van province, Aysel Tuğluk said that the Kobanê Crisis Coordination effort has met the basic needs of 190,000 people from Kobanê coming to Suruç over the past 3 months, adding that the AKP (Turkey's reactionary ruling Justice and Development Party) government has not fulfilled its responsibilities under international laws and has even created obstacles for refugee aid work.

“All the aid we provided was reclaimed by the AKP as if it was provided by itself. While the governor of Maras expelled the refuges to the border and left them without anything, the AKP government made no statements. It has still not opened a humanitarian corridor into Kobanê for the civilians. All these are nothing but support to ISIS gangs. It is a scandal that the ISIS gangs can carry out all the inhuman activities in front of the eyes of the Turkish soldiers,” a rough translation of Aysel Tugluk's remarks says.

Aysel Tuğluk said that Turkish President Erdoğan has pursued a hostile policy against the freedom struggle of the people of Rojava, adding that this proves what kind of a Syria they prefer. Aysel Tuğluk also said that the AKP prefers ISIS to the Kurds, failing to treat the democracy and resolution process underway in Turkey in a rightful manner.

The Van deputy said that only 10,000 refugees from Kobanê are staying in the state-run AFAD tent city while another 180,000 refugees receive no aid from the government, adding that the aid received by AFAD from other countries and international organizations has not been used to help the 180,000 refugees. The AKP must immediately tell the public how it used all this aid, Aysel Tuğluk said, and provided the following information regarding the aid provided by the Coordination effort.

“The aid is delivered from 5 warehouses affiliated to our Coordination. There are 11,000 people currently staying in 5 cities run by the Coordination, which is also preparing for the opening of another tent city for 10,000 people despite the obstacles created for us. Forty two-thousand Kobanê people are being hosted in the houses of local people in Suruç. We also send aid for 69,600 Kobanê people staying in the Urfa city center, as well as for 7,500 people in Adıyaman; 11,000 in Amed; 3000 in Malatya; 3000 in Batman; 4000 in Mardin; 4,500 in Antep; 1,800 in Antalya; and 1000 in Hatay, who are being hosted in homes in those cities,” Aysel Tuğluk said.

Aysel Tuğluk stressed that the hostile attitude of the AKP government towards the Kurds and the people of Kobanê doesn't serve the peoples of Turkey, nor does the Turkish policy which prefers the ISIS chaos to the resistance of Rojava's peoples, remarking that Turkey also acted provocatively by arresting wounded people from Rojava on the grounds of "reasonable suspicion."

Aysel Tuğluk further emphasized that the main victims of the artificial borders drawn with the Sykes-Picot Agreement have been the Kurds in the region, adding that this system is doomed to be dissolved by the Kobanê resistance. Aysel Tuğluk called on all aid organizations to take urgent action and on the AKP government to abandon its hostile policies towards the refugees.

Are Turkish soldiers helping ISIS fighters escape?

ISIS gang members are fleeing from Kobanê by crossing the Turkish border as the YPG and YPJ (People's/Women's Defense Forces) forces are carrying out a cleansing operation in Kobanê. The people holding the resistance vigil at the Suruç-Kobanê border since the beginning of the ISIS attacks on Kobanê witness these flights by the gang members. The people at the border say that the ISIS gang members are not easily taking flight to the Turkish side as they fear being caught by the people holding the solidarity vigil, which has begun to take control of the border to prevent the ISIS gang members from crossing.

Eyewitnesses at border said that 6 ISIS gang members who fled from Kobanê were taken away in a vehicle by Turkish soldiers at the border and that the soldiers warned another ISIS group who were also fleeing Kobanê by saying “Do not cross onto this side (because) there are terrorists here.”

Hemed Cemal from Kobanê said that he had witnessed 6 ISIS gang members crossing the border at a point between the Etmenek and Mehser villages and surrendering to Turkish soldiers. “A night before, around 8 pm, we heard intense clashes taking place in Kobanê. It was terribly foggy and raining. Following those 6 gang members, who we don’t know where they were taken by the soldiers, another group of the gangs attempted to cross onto this side. As the soldiers know that we hold the vigil here, they told them by pointing us 'Do not come to this side, there are terrorists here,'” he said.

Hemed Cemal said that his friends also witnessed this warning being given by the soldiers to prevent the ISIS gang members fleeing from YPG and YPJ fighters from being caught by the people holding the vigil, adding that “So, they have turned back. We saw that they withdrew and went away. But we do not know where they went.”

The Turkish army is digging trenches at the border

The Turkish army is digging trenches on the border between North Kurdistan and the Efrîn Canton of West Kurdistan (Rojava). The trenches at the border were first dug in April of 2014 and ANHA reporters in the Cindêris town of Efrîn have stated that the Turkish army is now using many vehicles and much equipment to dig new trenches between North and West Kurdistan.

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Damascus, Dec 23 (Prensa Latina) Numerous Syrian civils of the northern province of Alepo formed a militia baptized as Brigade of the North, with the target to face the present extremist groups in the region, informed today the national television.
Native of the towns of Anadaan, Huraytaan, Kafr Hamraa, Hayyaan and Maari, among others, the militiamen created this unit before the outrages and crimes of the Islamist formations in the area.

This month, inhabitants of the city of Alepo, capital of the government of equal name, denounced the systematic plundering carried out by armed people in the oriental towns of the metropolis.

Quoted by the newspaper Al Watan several neighbors told that the irregular ones strip off doors and windows of houses and business to sell the wood.

Also they burglarized the electrical networks of this area and the houses to obtain money for the copper, as well as the tubes of drinking water and the sewage system.

The pillaging affected factories, homes, governmental institutions and businesses, where they took from furniture up to hardware and products of diverse nature.

In the recent two months the population of this area came down to a third before the approach of the combats due to the advance of the Syrian army, who threatens to cut the only route of supplying of the irregulars that control the Alepo East.

Before such situation, press means revealed that numerous armed extremists began to escape of these areas to avoid the imminent siege.

Military sources announced that in the last days the military units liberated bordering areas to the metropolis, among them parts of the Handaraat camp, to the Alepo North-East, and a steel factory.

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Wednesday, December 24, 2014
The anti-ISIS fight in Sinjar and Rojava today
There is such an intense level of fighting and struggle underway today in Sinjar and Kobanê today that it is difficult to know exactly what is going on.
In Sinjar
The HPG (People's Defense Forces) Sinjar Command and the YBŞ (Sinjar Resistance Units) General Command released a joint statement on the on-going clashes between the Joint Forces of Resistance and ISIS gangs in Sinjar town of South Kurdistan today. Seventeen ISIS gang members were killed, one was taken prisoner and 4 HPG guerrillas have lost their lives in the most recent clashes. The fighting between the Resistance Forces and ISIS gangs continued throughout the day yesterday and have gone into today. All ISIS attacks were repelled and 12 of their fighters were killed, 8 others were wounded and 1 was taken captive in that fighting.
The four HPG guerrillas who bravely fought against the ISIS gangs were martyred in yesterday's clashes. Pledging loyalty to the memory of the fallen guerrillas, the HPG and YBŞ fighters vowed to liberate Sinjar and Kurdistan. The martyred guerrillas have been identified as:
Serdar Sarsak, with the code-name Çekdar Cıfaneyi, from Şırnak,
Mustafa Kurt, with the code-name Nurhak Fırat, from Urfa,
Kazım Bahadır, with the code-name Xebat Azad, from Adana,
Abdulvahap Kusci, with the code-name Dijwar Eriş, from Van.
We note that these brave fighters had to cross the artificial border from Turkey and gave their lives unselfishly and as internationalists.
Peshmerga forces withdraw
The HPG and YBŞ statement also reported that the peshmerga command affiliated to the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) have withdrawn its forces from Sinjar, adding that some volunteer peshmerga units remain in the battle field, and that patriotic Êzîdî Kurdish fighters are also joining the operation to liberate Sinjar. This withdrawal has angered many people.
The Joint Forces of Resistance launched an operation against ISIS in the Suka Jor neighborhood in Sinjar early this morning. A large part of the neighborhood and the school building was been liberated as result of the operation. Five ISIS fighters were killed there while the Resistance Forces have suffered no casualties.
The spokesperson of the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ), Berxwedan Tolhildan, has said that the YBŞ fighters have fought together with the HPG/YJA STAR guerrillas (People’s Defense Forces/Free Women's Troops) for 4 months in the Mount Sinjar region and added, “Saving the sacred Êzîdî (Yazidi) lands comes with a feeling of revenge for the savagery that took place.” Berxwedan Tolhildan told ANHA News Agency that YBŞ fighters and HPG/YJA STAR guerrillas had fought in Sinjar for over 4 months and that the peshmerga forces came to Mount Sinjar for the first time only two days ago after the occupation of Sinjar and the massacre the people faced there. The YBŞ, the HPG and the peshmerga forces involved in coordinated to liberate the Sinunê, Xanesor, Digura and Dahola villages and the surrounding areas.
Berxwedan Tolhildan also said that the Ezidi people have been exposed to massacres many times in their history, adding that the last one was perpetrated by the ISIS gangs on August 3, 2014. ), Berxwedan Tolhildan said that tens of thousands of Ezidis fled to Mount Sinjar to survive the massacre. The HPG/YJA STAR guerrillas and YBŞ forces launched an operation to liberate Sinjar on December 18, 2014, after fighting on Mount Sinjar for over 4 months and planning for that day.
Berxwedan Tolhildan stressed that there were no other forces than themselves taking their positions in the resistance and added that it was also meaningful and morale-boosting for the Ezidi people to start the operation on the day before the Ezidi feast. The first close range clashes with the ISIS gangs took place in the Kandil neighborhood in the town center where the gangs were positioned. “We reached here together as YBŞ and PKK guerrillas and clashed with the gangs for 3 hours. We succeeded in repelling the gangs as a result of the fierce clashes. Following the removal of the gangs, the peshmerga units reached the area,” Berxwedan Tolhildan said.
Berxwedan Tolhildan said that the fighting in the city center have continued non-stop for 3 days now, adding that the eastern part of the town has been totally liberated. “The Berberojk, Suka Serî and Sîkê neighborhoods of Sinjar are completely under our control. Some parts of Hey Nasır are controlled by us while the other parts are under the control of the inhuman ISIS gangs,” the YBŞ spokesperson said.
The ISIS gangs are not active in the mountainous areas in the region, Berxwedan Tolhiildan said, and the strategically important hills are also under the control of the YBŞ and PKK guerrillas. ISIS forces are holding on only in the Suka Jêrê and Heyu Yermuk neighborhoods and partly in Heyu Nasır.
“The operations that we launched in this move to liberate Sinjar were all successful. The gangs suffered heavy losses in the operation to liberate Sinjar and the corpses of many gang members were seized by us. We also seized a large amount of ammunition as wells as military vehicles of the gangs. Most importantly, the strategically important areas of the region are now controlled by us,” Berxwedan Tolhiildan said.
In Rojava
The YPG (People's Defense Units) Press Center has announced that YPG/YPJ (People’s/Women’s Defense Forces)attacks against the faltering ISIS gangs are continuing without interruption. The statement noted that “Fighters of the YPG/YPJ carried out an operation against the ISIS groups in the 48th Avenue and Medresa Keçika areas last night. Two streets south of 48th Avenue and 3 streets in the region extending to the Medresa Keçika have been cleansed of ISIS gangs.” This statement was issued yesterday.
At least 14 ISIS gang members were killed in the operation and large quantities of ammunition belonging to them were seized, the statement said. Clearing and mop-up activities are continuing in the areas liberated from ISIS.
Fighting has also continued in the Kaniya Kurda region on the eastern front.
YPG/YPJ fighters also carried out attacks against the ISIS gangs in the Menite village west of Kobanê and in the Erbuş Hamlet in the southwest, killing 4 ISIS fighters in Menite village and 2 in the Erbuş Hamlet.
Clashes also broke out around the Arce village north of Jazaa last night after YPG/J fighters intervened when ISIS forces attempted to infiltrate the region. The number of casualties couldn't be clarified as the ISIS gangs fled the region following the clashes.
The YPG/YPJ has also announced that their fighters have shot down two unmanned aerial surveillance drones. The two DJI Phantom 2 Vision drones were used to coordinate mortar and heavy weapon attacks by ISIS. They were shot down on the southeastern side of Kobanê town.
YPG fighter Kahraman Rakka said that the ISIS gangs were using these drones in order to locate civilians before carrying out mortar and heavy weapons attacks. The cameras installed on the drones can shoot high resolution videos.
Some footage from the fight to liberate Sinjar

http://turkeyharvest.blogspot.com.au/2014_12_01_archive.html

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48 hours of fighting in and around Kobanê---And an urgent plea to help babies in the refugee camps!
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We have the following items from the anti-ISIS common front and Rojava's revolution to pass on today.

Babies in urgent need--please help!

The Kobanê refugees who have sought refuge in the Suruç district of Urfa as result of the ISIS attacks include 20,000 babies. The conditions of the refugees, especially of the babies and children, are worsening with the onset of winter.

A campaign launched by the Suruç Coordination in Solidarity with Kobanê on November 27 to provide formula, milk and feeding bottles for the babies is continuing. The campaign has so far been supported by people from Turkey, Kurdistan and Europe. Ayşe Toksöz, who is among those leading the campaign, called for further support with the campaign which will continue through the winter season. She also pointed out that babies from Kobanê cannot be breastfed due to poor conditions, and that using infant formula is the only way to provide healthy nutrition for the babies, especially in their first 6 months.

Ayşe Toksöz also said, "It is the babies and children that are affected the most by the on-going war. We must not leave them alone in the face of the challenging conditions they are suffering from. We aim to form kitchens in each tent city and neighborhood to meet the basic needs of the children aged up to 5 years. We need a constant and regular provision of aid to establish these kitchens for the babies. We expect any volunteer NGO, association, party, institution and individual to get in contact with us to make sure this intention is made real." She emphasized that it is important to provide continuous support and aid for the babies and children to keep their hope alive.

Self-defense forces established in Kobanê

Self-defense forces have been established in Kobanê to oppose ISIS attacks. These forces are playing a role in the resistance in the city alongside YPG/YPJ (People's/Women's Defense Forces) forces. Welid Şerif, Müslüm Ismail and Mihemmed Ibrahim of these defense forces spoke to ANF. The interview is as follows.

Welid Şerif is 42 and used to live in the village of Zorava to the west of Kobanê. He said that before the ISIS attacks they received training from the YPG forces which enabled them to save their children from the ensuing massacre. "Later we came to the city and we are on duty in the streets with the YPG at all times. We are involved in legitimate defense, we have not attacked anyone else's property," he said. "The ISIS gangs attacked us and no one should expect us to submit to them. There is no way they will get into our neighborhood." He also called on those who have left Kobanê to return and help in the defence of the city.

Müslim Ismail is 46. He said that they are on sentry duty alongside YPG fighters at night. He added, "We also meet the needs of those who live in the neighborhoods. For instance, I collect the rubbish. My brother Sıtkı Xelil, who was in the defense forces with me, died during the bomb attack from Turkish territory on November 29. I will continue to be in the defense forces. Everywhere in Kobanê is a battle station for us. Cleaning the streets is also a duty. I call on everyone to return and join the defense of the city."

Mihemed Ibrahim is 34. He said that he had never left Kobanê and has five children. "I'm protecting my street and my neighborhood. The YPG has established a strong defensive system here, which has not buckled even when ISIS mounted its most intensive attacks." He added that they had gained experience and knew what they were doing. "We are fighting a war of honor and freedom. The YPG forces trained us a long time ago. Back then we didn't understand why, but now we do," he said. He added that if they hadn't received training many more people would have been killed. He also called on young people in particular to return to Kobanê and join the legitimate resistance.

In Kobanê and Til Hemis

The YPG (People's Defense Units) Press Center has released a statement providing information about their operations targeting ISIS gangs in Kobanê and Til Hemis. The fighting has now gone into the 102nd straight day and the YPG/YPJ fighters are continuing their operations against the faltering and weakening ISIS gangs.

YPG/YPJ fighters have carried out an attack against the ISIS groups on the southeastern front of Kobanê and areas north of 48th Avenue. The ISIS gangs suffered heavy losses in clashes at five separate positions. Sofiyan Street has been taken from the ISIS gangs and 16 ISIS fighters were killed in this fighting. Two YPG/YPJ fell fighting in the fighting in this area.

In Til Hemis the YPG/YPJ fighters carried out an operation in the village of the Ebu Quseyb which ISIS seized on December 22. Four YPG/J fighters were martyred there. Seven members of the ISIS gangs were killed and three vehicles of theirs were destroyed as YPG/J fighters initially targeted the gang groups on the road between Til Hemis and the Ebu Quseyb village. Twelve other ISIS fighters were killed in clashes that broke out following the attack by Protection Units. Hand-to-hand fighting in Ebu Quseyb went on into the early morning hours and resulted in the liberation of the village and a strategic hill. One count claims that 37 ISIS gang members were killed in the operation.

ISIS burning bodies and doing mass burials

ISIS gangs suffering heavy losses in the cleansing operations being mounted by YPG/YPJ fighters to the south and southwest of Kobanê are either burning the corpses of their dead or are burying them in mass graves in the houses in which they has set up positions. The YPG/YPJ cleansing operation has pushed the ISIS gangs out of many of their positions to the south and southwest of the city. YPG/YPJ fighters entering the houses previously occupied by the ISIS gangs. This report comes from alternative and progressive media in Rojava.

YPG fighter Brûsk Kobanê said that “As the gangs retreat in face of our actions, they are burning the corpses of their dead to conceal their losses. There are burnt bodies everywhere." Footage of burnt corpses in houses in many liberated streets has proved this to be true. Attention has also been drawn to written on walls in Cyrillic script.

Mass graves inside houses have also been found. In several houses in the south of the city previously occupied by gang members such graves have been discovered. On the walls of the houses the lists of the dead are written in Chechen, Arabic and Azerbaijani. Brûsk Kobanê said, “The gangs who are sustaining heavy losses in our operations are trying to conceal their losses in this way. We will continue our operations until the city is entirely cleansed of these gangs.”

Rojvan Kobanî/Amir Ghobadi was killed

The YPG Press Center has announced that YPG fighter, Rojvan Kobanî has lost his life in the operation to liberate the culture center in Kobanî. Rojvan Kobanî is the symbol of brotherhood of peoples in the Middle East.

Rojvan Kobanî is Persian and joined the YPG forces after hearing Abdullah Öcalan's call for the mobilization to save Kobanî. Rojvan Kobanî's real name is Amir Ghobadi. The YPG's statement says, "Ghobadi resisted to the end against brutality of the ISIS gangs. He became the symbol of brotherhood of all the peoples in the Middle East. We will never give up and at the end we will make what he was dreaming of real."

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Saturday, December 27, 2014

Fighting in Cizre after police and fundamentalists attack the people
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Our attention today has been on the fighhting in Cizre, Turkey, between the Hür Dava party and the Patriotic Democratic Youth Movement (YDG-H) and the Patriotic Democratic Young Woman Movement (YDGK-H). The Hür Dava, or Free Cause, party is a fundamentalist party most often referred to as Turkey’s Hizbullah, or as a part of that organization. Hür Dava may draw a diverse membership, but they are know as Kurdish Islamists and memories of the terrible role they played in counter-insurgency effort in the 1990s persist. The YDG-H and YDGK-H are revolutionary movements most often associatied with the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK). The liberation movement works to make Cizre autonomous. The Sur and Nur neighborhoods in Cizre are key to this strategy.

Some reports are saying that 2 Hür Dava members attempted to enter a tent set up by the YDG-H and YDGK-H members in the Nur neighborhood of the Cizre district of Şırnak province and that that provoked violent clashes between the two sides. Hostility between Hür Dava members and the liberation movement has been on-going, but in the mass protests which took place in early October Hür Dava and the affiliated Köy-Der organization together played a violent role then and there have been clashes between Hür Dava and the YDG-H and YDGK-H in Cizre since then. The YDG-H and YDGK-H tent was set up as a part of a neighborhood security plan after recent conflicts between the groups. The tent mat also have served as a mourning tent marking the people's respect for liberation fighters who have fallen in the fighting in Sinjar.

The Hür Dava members apparently tried to enter the tent at around 2:00 or 3:00 AM this morning. When they were stopped, or were told stop, they fired on YDG-H and YDGK-H members in the tent and then tried to escape. Shots were exchanged and the fighting began and spread through the city. At some point the police intervened and also opened fire on the people. The YDG-H and YDGK-H people assumed responsibility for the safety of the people and sent the people and the elders to their homes as the fighting grew more serious. Power in the district has been cut and police fired on the revolutionary young people from a helicopter. The YDG-H may have trenches in some areas and video footage shows barricades an street fighting with rifle fire being exchanged. The homes of some Hür Dava supporters may have been attacked. An armored police vehicle was also attacked an burned.

The first person killed in the fighting was a young person named Yasin Özel. Local people took his body to a mosque in the neighborhood. Abdullah Deniz was also reported killed in the fighting. It is not clear if Abdullah Deniz died after being hit in the head by a bullet fired by Hüda-Par supporters or not. Abdullah Deniz is the father of a party district official Aziz Deniz. The Şırnak Governor’s office is claiming that two people have died and three people have been wounded, but the liberation movement is saying that many more people have been wounded and some reports say that at least 3 people have been killed.

Another version given of the events holds that local people gathered yesterday to salute HPG guerrillas Serdar Sarsak, Mustafa Kurt, Kazım Bahadır and Abdulvahap Kusci, who fell in Sinjar and whose bodies were brought to Cizre from the Habur border crossing. As the people lined the road to salute the bodies as they were brought from the border through the town the police attacked with gas canisters and a water cannon. Young people set up barricades and clashes continued into the night. The Hür Dava members tried to enter the tent as these clashes were going on.

HDP (People's Democracy Party) MP Faysal Sarıyıldız told ANF news service that they had the impression that state provocation had sparked the clashes. The MP said that they were holding meetings to prevent the clashes worsening and to end them.

A wounded woman fighter returns to the fighting
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Women fighting the barbarian ISIS gangs in the ranks of the YPJ (Women's Defense Units) as part of the on-going resistance in Kobanî are not abandoning their positions despite all the difficulties they are facing.

YPJ fighter Awaz Xelîl who sustained injuries on the hand and arm while fighting the ISIS gangs has returned to her fighting positions after receiving treatment in Urfa's Suruç district where her family had to take shelter in face of the continuing ISIS gangs on Kobanê town of West Kurdistan, Rojava.

Awaz Xelil from the Bilik village of Kobanî joined the YPJ ranks while her family was forced along with thousands of others to take shelter in Suruç.

The YPJ fighter's father Ehmed Xelîl, who is staying in a tent city in Suruç, said that his daughter had looked forward to returning to Kobanê while receiving treatment and waiting to recover in Suruç near her family.

Ehmed Xelil said, “Awaz had been wounded on her hand and arm. She stayed with us for some time but couldn't wait to return and continue the fight the ISIS gangs." When Ehmed told his daughter that they didn't want her to return, Awaz said him, “I cannot stay here while my comrades are fighting there.”

Ehmed Xelil underlined that they would also return to their homeland once it is liberated from the ISIS.

Christmas and New Year greetings from Rojava
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Rojava's YPG (People's Defense Units) wished a happy new year to all and released a picture on its twitter account saying "Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year! Please keep our men and women in your prayers."

A New Lausanne: Energy Politics And Sinjar

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The following article ‘Enerji ve Şengal‘ was written by M. Ali Çelebi and appeared in Özgür Gündem. It has been translated into English below. This article presents view to one we expressed in a recent posting about the People's Democratic Party (HDP) emerging foreign policyand relations with Russia. We have not edited or changed the article in any way. We took our translation from The Rojava Report.

The Russian ruble has undergone a major devaluation owing to the Ukrainian crisis, sanctions, and the fall of oil prices. If in the course of this crisis hundreds of thousands take to the streets, or if certain individuals attempt to move in on the Kremlin the subsequent upheaval will not only hit Russia. It will also affect the balance in Iraq and Syria, two countries which rely heavily on Russian support, as well as the global energy market, investments in the construction sector, etc. And for this reason it will also affect Turkey. The projection can be summarized thus: the very cards at play which were used to create this devaluation and create difficulties for Russia using global financial instruments are heading for a reshuffle. Vladimir Putin, who will want instead to spend his remaining energy on the Crimea, will not be able to support the militias in Eastern Ukraine as he was before even if he wanted to. This means negotiations with the US-EU-Ukraine partnership. This will also affect events in the Eastern Mediterranean. Considering the importance both the United States and the EU put on an energy source in the Eastern Mediterranean and the equations in Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, Israel and Jordan the games which Turkey has played with Russian support will also suffer. The transportation of Mediterranean gas to the EU, Jordan and Israel outside of the control of Russia or Turkey will be a blow to the Russia’s natural gas monopoly. The crisis will decrease Russia’s influence in the Eastern Mediterranean and projects such as the Mavi Akim-2 (Türk Akımı) Natural gas pipeline and the nuclear power plant in Mersin which has cost billions of dollars may have to be postponed.

Kobanê, Sinjar And An Alternative Lausanne

Seperately, Russia is hosting the former president of the Syrian National Coalition Muaz el-Hatip and officials from Iraq and Syria in an effort to end the civil war in Syria, and it is making calls for mediation between the United States and Damascus. The economic crisis will limit the range of Russia’s diplomatıc efforts around Iran and Syria. Iran might also put pressure on Moscow to speed up the projects it has promised to complete in order lessen the difficulties it will suffer from the loss of income from declining energy sales. This could eventually lead to tensions between Tehran and Moscow.

One of the reasons that Turkey has not put its billion dollar projects with Russia on the table is its goal of keeping Russia away from the dynamic developing around Rojava, but whether Turkey wants it or not the peace process will be affected by the equations in Syria and Rojava.

It was not for nothing that Putin recently praised Erdoğan as he weighed in on the past year and the crisis, calling him ‘a very strong man’ (19 December) As Turkey pursues its own interests, Russia too wants to remain close to the oil reserves in the KRG, the cities of Rojava, and Deyr Zor and Rakka through its relationship with Turkey.

Even if a final agreement in the nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iraq does not come until 2015, or does not come at all, Russia is aiming at being a part of the trade in the region as projects heat up to transport Iran’s oil and gas across Rojava and Syria toward the Mediterranean. This is to say that Iran, the KRG, Rojava and Syria all remain very watchful and wary of the back-and-forth games between Russia and the US-EU bloc to control the region’s energy resources. However Russia, which just experienced the bloody attack on the journalists’ club in Gronzi on December 3rd, cannot discount fears of further attacks nor its cleavages with Turkey on the subject of ISIS. This is to say it is an alliance that can only go so far.

We have said that the United States, which has made a pivot to the Asia-Pacific region the most recent focus of its national security strategy, would not be able to make this plan work and would once again have to focus on the Middle East. And so it seems that the United States will have to expend more of its energy in the Middle East in 2015.

As a result of all of this the United States, Russia, Turkey and Iran will be forced to make a decision about Rojava in the next critical steps they will take in the region. Because following Kobanê, Rojava has become the compass of freedom for the people of the region. The liberation of Sinjar will also bring the liberation of areas under ISIS occupation where Syriac Christians live and around Tel Afer, which is home to Shia Turkmen. The Yezidi-Syriac-Shia Turkmen canton that will emerge will be a barrier to imperial designs in the region. As a result no pipelines from the energy basins in Iran or from Mosul and to its south will be possible without the consent of Rojava. This is one of the reasons that delegates from the United Nations Security Council began high level meetings with the PYD following the Kobanê resistance. If the Kurds and the Rojava cantons can successfully assess and situate themselves between the international contradictions and the irreconcilable contradictions between certain global and regional powers they can make major gains. Turkey will grudgingly accept this prescription. Whether it is called the Eastern Lausanne, the Peoples’ Lausanne or an alternative Lausanne a new arrangement will be unavoidable.

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Rojava's revolution is fundamentally about the people

We do not lose sight of the fact that Rojava's advanced revolution is fundamentally about people. Here we see Women's Defense Forces (YPJ) fighters who take part in the historic resistance in Kobanî visiting with people and listening to their problems. They also show a great affection with children. ANHA correspondent Nehîr Pale took some pictures of the YPJ fighters on a visit to Kobanî.

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We also want to report that TEV-DEM (the Democratic Movement Society) has released a 6-year program to restructure Kobanî. TEV-DEM is a representative revolutionary organization expressing the people's will. They organized a meeting in Kobanî to discuss the problems that people there have been facing and the living conditions near the border crossing area. The meeting focused on the problems which have occurred in the last month and issued a program for Kobanî. The program includes the following items and decisions:

1- Establishment of a committee for restructuring Kobanî

2- Visiting the refugee families and finding possible ways to solve their problems

3- Holding public meetings to establish communes and assemblies

4- Reviving the works and programs of the People's House

5- Calling on the people of Kobanî to return and take part in the defense and restructuring Kobanî

6- Offering all kinds of logistical and social services

TEV-DEM noted that the program will be implemented in the new year.

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Wednesday, December 31, 2014

"For us, 2015 will be a year witnessing significant achievements in the Rojava revolution."
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DİHA is running the following important article regarding a particular view of Rojava's revolution, and one that we generally share. We have not edited the article. The YPG and YPJ are Rojava's People's and Women's Defense Forces.

YPG commander Dijwar Xebat underlined: "The fighters of YPG and YPJ have proved and showed in Kobanê this year to all the world how the Daesh gangs and their supporters, who want to suffocate Rojava revolution, can be defeated. Next year, 2015, will be the year in which the gangs of Daesh will be cleansed from Rojava Kurdistan and Syria" and added that they had promised to peoples for this.

One of the YPG Kobanê Commanders, evaluated the resistance mounted against the ISIS attacks in Kobanê and Rojava during 2014, its outcomes and their expectations for 2015. The YPG Kobanê Commander stressed that in the present situation the ISIS gangs have suffered a defeat in the face of the YPG/YPJ resistance, adding: “We are welcoming 2015 with victory steps against the ISIS gangs in Kobanê and entire Rojava.” Recalling that the ISIS attacks on Rojava revolution have continued all year long, Commander said that the gangs launched their most expansive attacks on Kobanê early September when -he added- Kobanê responded to the attacks with a spirit of self-sacrifice and the philosophy of leader Apo, referring to Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan. “Kobanê has been the beginning of the end for the ISIS”, he said.

'Rojava revolution opened way for peoples'

“Before evaluating the struggle of the YPG/YPJ in 2014, we firstly salute our people who laboured for the resistance throughout the year and bow respectfully before the memory of the martyrs”, said YPG Commander who also stressed that the year 2014 was of great importance for Kurdistan and the peoples of the Middle East. Mazlum remarked that the Kurdish people also had an active role in the so-named 'Arab spring' that began early 2011, and that they as the Kurdish people had made their preparations in advance in order to change the wave of change and transformation in the Middle East into a struggle set to assure a revolutionary and democratic future for the peoples.Noting that the Rojava revolution as part of this struggle has opened the way for a democratic future of the Kurds and the peoples of Syria and the Middle East, the YPG Commander underlined that Kurds with the Rojava revolution have been the only people to actualize a project for the liberation of the peoples.

'Rojava revolution was intensely attacked in 2014'

The YPG Commander also pointed out that after the system in Rojava fell into place towards the year 2014, dominant and reactionary powers also realized the fact that the Rojava revolution could set an example to all the peoples in the Middle East. He continued: “They therefore intensified their attacks against our revolution. We can say that 2014 witnessed very intense attacks on the Rojava revolution. The Kurdish people had made their preparations on this basis after anticipating attacks targeting the revolution. They developed their self-defense position, established the YPG/YPJ and the defense units of the revolution and people. Our target was to protect the revolution and our national values.” YPG Commander stressed that the increasingly enhanced attacks on the revolution have proved the vital need for the self-defense forces they had formed earlier. He further recalled that the first wave of concentrated attacks began in Kobanê at the beginning of the year when the ISIS firstly eliminated other Islamist groups and the Free Syrian Army from the region extending from Deyr Ez Zor to Jarablus, and started to attack Kobanê with the beginning of February.

'We responded with legitimate defense'

YPG Commander noted that in the face of the ISIS attacks on the gains of the Kurdish people, which they had anticipated because the Rojava system promised a democratic future to the peoples, they responded with a sense of legitimate defense. He reminded that the ISIS gangs launched their first attacks on Kobanê in February and intensified them late March, witnessing on the other hand the strength of the Kurdish people and YPG/YPJ as it suffered heavy losses in the fighting during this period. The YPG Commander said that the ISIS withdrew its forces from Kobanê and attacked other regions after seeing that it wouldn't be able to attain a result in Kobanê at an ordinary level of attacks in the face of the resistance mounted against it. “With the comprehensive attack that came early July, we saw that all the former attacks had been planned in order to prepare the ground for more expansive attacks targeting Kobanê and the Rojava revolution”, he added.

'ISIS started larger scaled attacks after seeing that it wouldn't be easy to take Kobanê'

Remarking that the ISIS gangs launched attacks on three fronts of Kobanê with heavy weapons they brought in from other regions, Mosul being in the first place, during the month of July, he continued: “This wave of attacks, which was carried out with the help of weapons and financial opportunities the ISIS gained especially after its occupation of Mosul, was the most expansive attack conducted during the year. Towards the end of July, the ISIS gangs were repelled on all the three fronts of Kobanê and inflicted severe blows during the Revenge Operation for Kobanê Martyrs. Following this defeat, the ISIS gangs attacked Sinjar and perpetrated a massacre there. With the Sinjar attack, the ISIS gangs captured a number of strategic points belonging to the regime without facing any resistance.” Recalling that the strategic points captured by the ISIS from the regime included significant military points such as the Tabqa military airport, 21st and 91st regiment and 7th battalion, He said the heavy wepons, tanks and ammunition ISIS seized here were enough to meet the needs of an army. He said that the ISIS gangs deployed all these weapons and munitions around Kobanê, and thus started as of 15 September to launch the most comprehensive and heaviest attacks on Kobanê among the Rojava cantons.

'Alliance with Arab representatives before September's attack'

Noting that the ISIS gangs had also launched attacks on Cizîrê canton, Hesekê and Jazaa during the year before the attacks on Kobanê began, he added: “After failing to attain the result it desired and the defeats it suffered in these regions, the ISIS headed back towards Kobanê, the starting point of the 19 July revolution and the democratic confederal system, which is also the point of connection between the cantons of Cizîr and Afrîn, and a location the ISIS considered as the weakest link in Rojava. With the fall of Kobanê, it had been intended to destroy the democratic future and system of the Kurdish people and the peoples of the Middle East.” He continued by reminding that some groups affiliated to the FSA developed an alliance with the YPG in Cizîrê Canton and Kobanê after the observations and evaluations they made regarding the ISIS gangs before the September's attack later proved to be right. “Early September, an alliance was formed between the YPG and some FSA-affiliated groups by the name of Burkan Al Fırat. This alliance didn't only have a military importance but it was also a significant development ensured with Arab representatives on the basis of a joint struggle of the peoples.”

'Great bravery manifested'

YPG Commander said that they could speak of an exact success of the YPG/YPJ forces against the ISIS in Kobanê in line with an evaluation of the ISIS attacks that lasted throughout the year and the massive attack that has left 107 days behind now. He emphasised that the ISIS gangs have so far suffered a heavy defeat and blow in the most expansive attacks they launched on Kobanê despite having a superiority of technical opportunities, armament and number of fighters. Mazlum also recalled that the ISIS gangs have recently brought in mercenaries from a number of places across the world in order to attain a result in Kobanê in the face of the most recent defeat it has suffered. He added that all these ISIS mercenaries have been killed in the fighting. Pointing out that great bravery has been manifested against the ISIS gangs during the year and the last 107 days, he continued: “A determined struggle has been waged with kalashnikov rifles and hand grenades against tanks and mortars. Everyone said Kobanê would fall and nobody thought of the contrary but fighters of the YPG/YPJ did never have such a feeling or thought, not even a moment. They never lost trust in victory and success, nor ever hesitated to sacrifice their lives for freedom.”

'We stood against the attacks with a spirit of self-sacrifice and the philosophy of Leader Apo'

YPG Commander stressed that against the attacks ISIS carried out with a technical and numeric superiority, they stood with a the philosophy of Leader Apo, a spirit of self-sacrifice and a strong organisation. “In addition, we construed the enemy correctly and anticipated what it could do. On this basis, we were prepared for attacks and savagery at any level, and fought the enemy with a superiority of precise morale and courage. The ISIS gangs were superior than us with regard to technics, arms and number of militants but the heroic determination, motivation, commitment and courage of the YPG/YPJ fighters has been our greatest advantage against the ISIS. As a matter of fact, Kobanê has witnessed the battle of a superior technics and a people fighting for their freedom who have indeed won the war so far", he added. He stressed that resistance to the most recent attack in Kobanê has been mounted in all areas, adding that: “Except for those forced to leave Kobanê, a significant part of the people remained in the town and became a major part of this resistance. Alongside an organisation of fighters that are ideologically and philosophically equipped, the people have also waged a significant fight against the ISIS gangs in Kobanê.”

'ISIS empire of fear was overthrown in Kobanê'

He underlined that the most significant results revealed by the Kobanê resistance includes the demolition of the empire of fear built by the ISIS gangs. “The ISIS gangs that spread fear across the regions it attacked earlier could obtain no benefit from this most effective method of theirs in Kobanê. On the contrary, they were afraid in the face of the YPG/YPJ resistance and this savage method was shattered by the firm will of the YPG/YPJ fighters. With this truth revealed in Kobanê, all forces that have so far been unable to stand against the ISIS attacks have developed self-confidence and determination. The ISIS legend of fear has ended in Kobanê where the ISIS gangs now don't want to fight any more. Kobanê has turned into a source of fear for the ISIS gangs that have been greatly dispirited in Kobanê.” Commenting Kobanê's strength to remain standing despite all the siege and attacks during the year as a historic success, he said that: “With the resistance mounted in Kobanê, the ISIS gangs are currently going through a downfall and disintegration all across Syria. Attacking the Kurdish people devoted to their freedom and the Rojava revolution has been the beginning of the end for the ISIS gangs that have suffered a major defeat in firstly Rojava and then Kobanê, especially in the face of the YPG/YPJ resistance.”

'We are entering new year with victory steps'

YPG Commander Mazlum emphasised that the YPG were now advancing step by step on the path to victory following the last three months of 2014 that witnessed a battle with very fierce clashes. Mazlum made the following evaluation for the new year: “It could be said that in the new year we will announce the defeat of the ISIS and the victory of YPG forces. We are entering the new year with a high morale and spirits, and with a major success and gains. For us, 2015 will be a year witnessing significant achievements in the Rojava revolution. In this regard, I would like to quote leader Apo who said that ''2015 will be the year of success and victory of the Kurdish people's revolution'. We also promise our people that this will be the year of success and victory. Ahead of us are major successes and victories in military, political and social areas, primarily in Kobanê.”

"All peoples should support the Kobanê resistance because Kobanê's success is the success of the entire Syria and Middle East."
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Kobane Canton deputy Prime Minister Xalid Berkel evaluated the political gains attained with the historic resistance of the last year in Kobanê and the developments it will bring along in the new year in an interview with DİHA. We are reblogging that interview here without editing. The YPG/YPJ are Rojava's heroic People's/Women's Defense Forces.

Xalid Berkel pointed out that the Kobanê resistance has shown the whole world that the Kurdish people cannot be left without status any more. The deputy Prime Minister of the Kobanê Canton said that the Kobanê resistance has opened the way for democracy in Syria and the Middle East, adding that: "One of the major political gains attained by our resistance is the fact that our democratic autonomous system has proved to be a perspective of resolution to all the problems of Syria and the Middle East. Berkel recalled that the Kobanê resistance has also changed the regional policy of international powers, and that a humanitarian corridor was still the primary need and demand for Kobanê for the new year.

* Which political results has the year-long resistance to the ISIS gangs in Kobanê yielded?

Kobanê faced attacks by the ISIS gangs throughout 2014. The attacks began with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and continued with the ISIS gangs that intensified their attacks as of the Newroz Day. As is known, attacks have reached the highest level in the last three months during which Kobanê mounted a determined resistance to the ISIS gangs. The historic year-long resistance in Kobanê has also brought along political gains and results of historic importance. The Kobanê resistance has shown and proved the whole world that the Kurdish people cannot be left without status any more. It has demonstrated the fact that no power that attempts to ignore the will of the Kurdish people can succeed in the Middle East. Against the inhuman attacks of the ISIS over the last three months, Kobanê has become a point of resistance with regard to not only the national democratic rights of the Kurds but also the human values for all the peoples of the world.

The ISIS gangs whose single philosophy is plunder and massacre aimed to throttle the Rojava revolution in the body of Kobanê, as well as to suppress all the peoples and to have them obey themselves in line with their interests. The ISIS gangs have however failed to achieve this purpose of theirs and suffered, alongside the powers they served, a major defeat in the face of the Kobanê resistance. One of the primary political gains of the Kobanê resistance has been to defeat the policies aiming to leave the Kurdish people without status in this century and to destroy their gains. With the Kobanê resistance, the Kurdish people have once again reminded the whole world and dominant states of their organised state and the will for self-defense, and that they are among the most important political actors in the region. Kobanê resistance has opened the way for the peoples of the Middle East to attain freedom and democracy, and instilled the peoples a trust in struggle against the dominant powers. In this regard, the most significant results of the Kobanê resistance include the presentation of a democratic model to the peoples, its defense, and the manifestation of the will for its continuation. Our resistance in Kobanê has enabled the recognition of our democratic society model which is the resolution of the problems in Syria and the Middle East, and it clearly brought a perspective of solution, especially in Syria, to the agenda of the peoples.

The sense of "invincible power" created by the ISIS gangs in the region has also been exterminated with the Kobanê resistance and the peoples living in regions occupied by the ISIS came to realize that they do not have to live under the cruelty of the ISIS. The front of joint struggle we formed with the Arab people within the frame of the Burkan Al Fırat alliance has also paved the way for a joint action of the Arab and Kurdish peoples for the democratization of Syria, and has been one of the major political results revealed in Kobanê for the peoples. The Kobanê resistance has also changed the regional policy of the international powers to which the resistance by YPG/YPJ left no choice but act together with the Kurdish people and consider a joint fight against the ISIS gangs. From this point of view, Kobanê has played a role which has also shaped the world politics. The struggle of the Kurdish people is recognised and embraced by the whole world now. I would also like to make a particular mention of the bravery manifested by the YPJ forces during the year. The YPJ became the basic subject of our resistance. Kurdish women led by the YPJ had a determining effect on the international support enhanced for Kobanê and the achieved political gains of ours.

* How do you evaluate the support given to your resistance by the other parts of Kurdistan and peoples of the world?

The unprecedented support and participation of the Kurdistan people to our resistance, the people of North Kurdistan being in the first place, has been one of the major factors that has brought our resistance to the point of victory during the year. The solidarity of the region's and world's peoples has been one of the basic gains of our struggle against the ISIS. This support was important, not only for Kobanê not to fall, but also for the joint struggle of the world's peoples.

* What kind of developments could be brought along by the present political gains of yours? What are your expectations from the new year?

We believe the new year will be one to witness the development of democratic resolutions by the peoples of the entire region and Syria under the leadership of the Kurdish people in line with these political gains. We trust our democratic autonomy project will be invigorated and embraced by all the peoples in both Rojava and the entire region. The Kobanê resistance has prepared the ground for this. In consideration of the political results revealed by the Kobanê resistance, the Syrian opposition should in the new year act in a democratic alliance with the Kurdish people. Disclaiming the struggle of the Kurdish people will bring nothing to these powers, nor serve democratization in Syria. On this basis, we call on them to see the mounted resistance and to fight together against the ISIS which is the common enemy of all peoples. All peoples should support the Kobanê resistance because Kobanê's success is the success of the entire Syria and Middle East. Our resistance in Kobanê will continue. Forces of the YPG/YPJ enhanced the resistance more and more every day and manifested great bravery against attacks at any level. In the new year, we will be protecting the political gains we have achieved thanks to our resistance, and announce the victory of democracy in Rojava, Syria and the Middle East.

* Is a humanitarian corridor into Kobanê still a need, and is your demand for that still in place?

Our expectations for Kobanê from the new year include an urgent opening of a humanitarian corridor into Kobanê, it is among our basic demands. In the new year, all international powers should do their part on this matter.

New Year greetings from the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK)
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The Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council Co-Presidency has issued a statement marking the New Year and wishing that it will be a year of peace, democracy and freedom for all of humanity.

“While we as the Kurdish people and the movement leave 2014 behind with tremendous gains at a level of historic values and full of examples of fabulous resistance, we welcome 2015 with a spirit of a more organized, hopeful, determined and high level struggle,” the KCK statement said.

The KCK stressed that humanity welcomed the new with greater hopes, thanks to the struggle waged during the past year for peace, democracy and freedom against repression, exploitation, hunger, unemployment, unfair clashes and war, all being exercised globally by the capitalist modernity.

The statement by the KCK pointed out that the peoples of the Middle East have reached a high level of consciousness and revealed a strong spirit of unity and solidarity in the struggle for peace and democracy against the repressions, attacks and massacres of nation-statist oligarchic regimes and

ISIS fascism.

“In Turkey, the job related deaths, economic exploitation caused by the AKP (Turkey's ruling reactionary Justice and Development Party--ed.) regime and its hostile policies against democracy, freedom, women and the Kurds, has become blatantly obvious, while the anti-capitalist, anti-AKP, labor, democracy and freedom struggle has continued growing,” the KCK stressed.

The KCK drew attention to the fact that the Kurdistan liberation struggle has upset the balance of powers in the Middle East and that it has now gained an influential and determinative position in the region. The statement added that the resistance in Kobanê and Sinjar has raised hopes for all the peoples of the region and reached a level of being a leading power.

“2014 has been a historic year witnessing the culmination of the Kurdistan free women's ideology,” the KCK said, and remarked that the women of Kurdistan obtained gains not only in Sinjar and Rojava- Kobanê, but also on a universal level. The KCK said that the liberation of women is more valuable and meaningful than the liberation of classes and nations, stressing that the women will certainly make 2015 a year much closer to peace, democracy and freedom for all humanity by attaining their real freedom.

The KCK also stressed that the "Democratic Confederalism and Democratic Autonomy" paradigm developed by Leader Apo, referring to Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan, has been the hope as well as the guarantee for the oppressed peoples and the cultures of the Middle East. “The Kurdish people will step up their struggle in 2015 together with Leader Apo and with a determination to realize Free Kurdistan and the Democratic Autonomous status,” the KCK statement said.

The KCK ended its statement by celebrating the new year of “primarily Leader Apo, the families of our martyrs, our peoples, the peoples of the Middle East, and all our comrades,” and by wishing that 2015 will be a year of peace, democracy and freedom for all the peoples of the world.

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The struggles to free Abdullah Öcalan and build a free press face state repression

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We have two civil rights issues to mention and comment on today.
Last night a number of mayors and mayoral officials in Turkey's southeast were briefly detained and questioned for working for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdish liberation movement. Abdullah Öcalan was arrested in 1999 in an operation coordinated by the CIA. He was sentenced to death in Turkey but that sentence was commuted to aggravated life imprisonment under pressure from popular movements and the solidarity of the people and European Union requirements. From 1999 until 2009 he was the sole prisoner held in the İmralı island prison in the Sea of Marmara. From prison he has authored many books and articles and, most notably, initiated a peace or reconciliation process between the liberation movement and the Turkish state. The Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) changed course in recent years under his influence and his ideas have taken hold across North Kurdistan (“southeast Turkey”), Rojava, Sinjar and elsewhere.
Mardin's Kızıltepe district co-Mayors İsmail Ası and Leyla Salman and nine employees at the Batman Mayor's Office, including Batman co-Mayor Gülistan Akel and four municipal executives, were detained for collecting signatures for a petition demanding Abdullah Öcalan's release from prison. Batman Municipal assembly members Hülya Baltaş and Hamide Çelik were also mentioned as having been detained. Those who were detained were accused of promoting a terrorist organization and praising a criminal. The campaign to free Abdullah Öcalan is an international campaign that dovetails with the resolution process underway within Turkey and the situations in Rojava, Syria, Iraq and Sinjar. The push in Turkey and North Kurdistan to free Abdullah Öcalan has been gathering strength recently because of these conditions. The demand is opposed mainly by reactionary forces.
The Kızıltepe Mayor's Office issued a statement regarding the detentions, saying that İsmail Ası and Leyla Salman were taken into custody on the grounds that the signature campaign is not legal and that they were taken to Kızıltepe Police Station. The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Batman provincial office also issued a press statement outside of the Batman Police Station, where the detainees were taken, saying that nine employees from the Batman Mayor's Office were taken into custody for campaigning to free Abdullah Öcalan. The statement said, "Such detentions can never hamper our battle for democratic rights. The signature campaign is a democratic right of ours and we are going to pursue it. They want to criminalize it. We won't let them."
Everyone who was detained was eventually released by late last night after testifying. İsmail Ası commented on the detentions and questioning by saying, “They arrested us on the grounds that the campaign has been banned, but everyone knows that there are talks between the state and Abdullah Öcalan. As we believe Mr. Abdullah Öcalan can make a contribution to the process, we launched a campaign to raise signatures. We believe these arrests are arbitrary.” Kızıltepe Co-mayor Leyla Salman said, "It is illogical to regard the campaign as a crime." Gülistan Akel said, “Even the state is seeing Öcalan as the chief negotiator. But, despite this it is not tolerating the campaign. Peace will not come (without Öcalan). It is not possible to speak of peace without Öcalan. People are seeing the freedom of Öcalan as legitimate. Öcalan is the only assurance of freedom and peace."
The other case we are looking at concerns Dutch journalist Frederike Geerdink. She has been living in the main Kurdish city of Amed/Diyarbakir for some time and has been working on the Kurdish issue, focusing on the Roboski massacre. She was detained by police yesterday and later freed.
Frederike Geerdink said on her Twitter account that 8 police officers affiliated with the anti-terror department raided and searched her house early yesterday afternoon. She was detained for allegedly “spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization”' and was taken to the police station. According to information provided by lawyer Tahir Elçi, the President of Diyarbakır Bar Association, Frederike Geerdink was detained because of her twitter posts and comments. She was released after giving a statement at the anti-terror branch of police headquarters.
So we have a popular issue, elected public officials facing repression and a people's journalist hindered from doing her job as the state claims to be in line with the freedoms of the modern world and to have a free press. Beyond the legalisms is the reality that the peace or resolution process and justice for the victims of the Roboski massacre and their families cannot move forward past a certain point and to a good conclusion without free discussion, a free press and freedom for Abdullah Öcalan. We suspect that the state agrees and so seeks to obstruct progress.
Vasfiye Altay (Raperin Gabar) lost her life in Shengal during the clashes with the ISIS gangs
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Former Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Siirt provinical organization leader Vasfiye Altay (Raperin Gabar) lost her life in Shengal during the clashes with the Daesh (ISIS) gangs. She was killed while taking part in the Operation to Liberate Shengal (Sinjar) effort, which is on-going.

Vasfiye's bodywas taken to the Habur Border Gate and was met there by her family,Party of Democratic Regions (DBP) leaders, other progressive leaders and representatives of peace and justice organizations. She will be laid to rest in Siirt tomorrow.

Monday, January 5, 2015
The people of Sinjar (Shengal) are drawn into struggle
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We have several items from Sinjar to mention and comment on tonight. Once again we are highlighting the differences between the humanism of the liberation movement and the barbarism of ISIS and imperialism.

It has been announced that five mass graves in and around the town of Sinune in Sinjar will be opened and documented under the supervision of officials. Xiyas Surçî, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) spokesman for Mosul, said in a statement today that the mass graves uncovered following the operations of the guerrillas, peshmerga and YBŞ (Sinjar Resistance Units) forces will officially be opened.

Xiyas Surçî said, “Five more mass graves have been located in the areas, mainly around Sinune, that have been liberated following the assault launched by peshmerga forces, HPG (People's Defense Forces) guerrillas, YPG (Rojava's People's Defense Forces) fighters and Sinjar Resistance Units against the ISIS gangs in and around Sinjar. These graves contain people from the Yazidi community who were killed in the attacks by the ISIS.They will be opened and scientifically documented under the supervision of the Regional Government, the central government of Iraq and international institutions.” The PUK spokesman also said that hundreds of Yazidi women, children and elders who were brutally massacred by the ISIS were buried in these mass graves. He added that a detailed work will be needed in order to determine the identities of the people buried there.

Meanwhile, Shengal (Sinjar) Resistance Units (YBŞ) Commander Zerdeşt Şengali called on all Êzidis to support the YBŞ, adding that the stronger the force becomes the better it will be for the Êzidis and for Kurdistan.

Zerdeşt Şengali told the ANF news service that when the ISIS gangs took Mosul in June of 2014, the Êzidi people had realized that Sinjar (Shengal) would be targeted because of its religious, historical and geographical importance. He added, “We called on political and military circles in Kurdistan to review the security situation in Sinjar, but I’m afraid to say that our brothers in the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) and peshmerga did not allow any other military or political force in Sinjar until the massacre started.”

Zerdeşt Şengali said that the YBŞ had been established in order to combat the massacre, coming into being under extraordinary circumstances. He said that their expectations for 2015 are that Sinjar will be liberated and that democratic autonomy would be put in place. “The Êzidi people, who have suffered massacres throughout history, have never submitted to the hegemony of central states. They have always resisted Arab, Turkish and Persian chauvinism. Today, too, the Êzidi people are resisting and will declare democratic autonomy. This is their most legitimate right in order to protect themselves from the massacres that took place last year,” he added.

Zerdeşt Şengali continued, saying that organization required autonomy. “Does autonomy mean we will break away from Iraq and South Kurdistan? No. The autonomy of the Êzidis will take place within the framework of the laws of Iraq and of the Kurdistan region. Such a right exists in the Iraqi constitution. We therefore say that 2015 will be a year when the hopes of the Êzidi people will be realized. In 2015 the resistance of the YBŞ will also develop,” he added.

Zerdeşt Şengali called on the Êzidi people, saying, “The YBŞ established itself after everyone had fled. Therefore, however much the YBŞ consolidates this will benefit the Êzidis, Kurdistan and the peoples of the region. So we call on the Êzidi people to support us and for young Êzidis to join us.”

The HPG (People’s Defense Forces) Sinjar Command and YBŞ (Sinjar Resistance Units) General Command have also issued a joint statement reporting that the operation to liberate Sinjar is continuing and that a number of ISIS members were killed in clashes over the last 24 hours.

According to the statement, the forces of the resistance carried out an attak with heavy weapons targeting the ISIS gangs around the Suka Jer neighborhood yesterday. The number of ISIS fighters killed there couldn't be ascertained. Guerrilla forces also carried out two other attacks against the ISIS gangs around the Berbiroj neighborhood on late Sunday evening. One ISIS member was killed and one other was wounded in this attack by guerrillas. Fighting continued as guerrilla forces effectively hit the ISIS gang groups who intensified their activities around the Berbiroj neighborhood last night.

The revolution progresses elsewhere as well.

Êzidi Kurds who fled the attacks by ISIS on Sinjar (Shengal) Mountain and took refuge in the Beşiri district of Batman province (Turkey) are giving their children lessons in the Êzidi faith in the Qorixê tent city. The Êzidi Kurds living in the tent city are determined to maintain their language and culture. In addition to teaching Kurdish they are also providing faith classes for their children. Teachers from Sinjar are working on a voluntary basis in the tent city.

Pir Celal Xêro says that he is teaching 200 children the tenets of the Êzidi faith, adding, “From Sinjar we came to Batman and began to live in the camps set up by the Batman municipality. We decided to continue the Kurdish language and Êzidi faith classes we had provided for our children in Sinjar. Our aim is to ensure they do not forget the Êzidi faith. This is understandable, but in the 21st century we have suffered a massacre on account of being Kurdish and Êzidi. This is shameful for the whole of humanity. If it hadn’t been for the PKK (Kurdistan Worker's Party) none of us would have survived. Fifty years ago in Batman there were many Êzidi, but they were forced to leave their homes on account of incitements by the system. But today there is a mosaic that embraces all peoples, faiths and colors.”

Volunteer teacher Pir Xıdır Xelef said that they were also providing psychological support for the children following the attacks by the ISIS gangs on Sinjar, adding that they were determined to protect their culture and language. “Otherwise we would be assimilated. In Sinjar we gave lessons in Kurdish, English and the Êzidi faith. After securing the facilities here we are continuing to do this. Education is also a way of helping the children get over what they witnessed, and the days they spent without food and water in the mountains,” he said.

The children from Sinjar begin the day by saying Êzidi prayers, which are in Kurdish.

The impact of this struggle to survive is felt elsewhere also. Ali Atalan, the Co-President of the Federation of Êzidi Societies (FKÊ), spoke to Ali Güler in an interview for ANF about the most recent situation in the Kurdish Êzidi area in Shengal (Sinjar) in northwest Iraq and the need for political autonomy in the region once it has been liberated from the ISIS gangs.

* What is the current situation in Shengal?

The revolutionary operation which has been launched to liberate Shengal from ISIS occupation has created a great new sense of hope among the Êzidi community. It was through this operation that around 10,000 of our people were rescued from their suffering in Shengal. The operation to bring freedom to Shengal means the beginning of the construction of a new period.

* How much of the Shengal region is now controlled by Kurdish forces?

Right now Kurdish forces are in control of the whole of Shengal mountain, most of its villages and an important part of the city. The closing of the Rojava-Mosul corridor to ISIS has been the most important development. The Kurdistan Freedom Forces have taken the initiative in the most strategic areas.

* What does it mean that the operation to liberate Shengal took place at the same time as the holiday of Êzidis?

Above all else we consider this push to be a kind of holiday present. Above all else I believe that the Kurdish Freedom Movement as a movement of a conscience endowed with an historical consciousness is correctly orientated with regard to its free land paradigm upon (özgür toplum paradigması) which it has been built. This can explain the Freedom Movement’s sharpest response when confronted with the threat of the destruction of the Êzidi community, one of the most ancient, humanistic and authentic parts of the Kurdish people.

* What is the role of the Shengal Defense Units (YBŞ) in the liberation of Shengal?

The YBŞ is a defense force that operates in a coordinated fashion with the HPG (People's Defense Forces) operationally, organizationally and philosophically. The YBŞ has taken part in this operation with all its capacity has shown itself entirely capable and successful.

* What is the situation of the YBŞ?

As you know, the YBŞ is a resistance movement formed from Kurdish Êzidis. Even if it is not as large as would be wanted in terms of numbers owing to obvious circumstances, it is meaningful and important from a qualitative standpoint and for the historical mission which it has undertaken.

Likewise, before this no systematic and modern resistance movement had been organized to this level in Êzidi history. With the opening of a corridor from South Kurdistan in past days the amount of people joining the YBŞ has risen dramatically. We believe that this will only increase in the future. The YBŞ has laid the foundations for the creation of a self-defense mechanism in a more systematic, participatory and organized manner in Shengal’s future. It is the duty of every patriotic and, in particular, every Êzidi Kurd to work to strengthen this mechanism and increase participation in it.

* What kind of destruction has the Shingal city center and its historical places of worship suffered [under ISIS occupation]?

This has not yet been entirely determined. If we consider what an inhumane organization like ISIS is capable of, we can guess that they have ravaged and destroyed every place of worship belonging to the Êzidi faith. The hostility of ISIS to Êzidism, which is the oldest faith in Mesopotamia, arises from a fascist character which is both historical and current. It is a duty of civilization and of humanity to support and protect the most humanist Yazidi faith against these kinds of attacks which aim at its destruction.

* What kind of system do you want as Êzidis for Shengal after all of this?

In order for the Êzidis to avoid a new genocide they must have an officially recognized status. This status does not need to be confined to Sinjar. The creation of a status of democratic autonomy that would include the Êzidis, Nestorian Christians, Şebeks and other peoples in Şêxan would be the best response to the August 3, 2014 Êzidi genocide. If we leave aside certain organizational and political calculations, it is a humanitarian, conscientious and democratic-national duty to recognize the rights of the Êzidi community, which constitutes one of the most ancient manifestations of the Kurdish

people.

* What is required for the creation of autonomy for Shengal?

Above all it is necessary that the needed steps are taken and work sped up to reorganize in the area of self-defense in order for the Êzidi community to be able to express itself in a political, cultural and diplomatic system. It is necessary that an active ideological and political struggle is waged against attempts by certain collaborationist Êzidis who tie themselves to certain forces and surrender for the sake of certain material gains, and who darken the future of this oppressed people which thirsts for freedom and which has been socially fractured and seen its unity broken. An international Reconstruction Fund For Shengal must be created to rebuild Shingal, the mines which have been laid must be cleared, a self-defense force made up of Êzidis must be created, a sustainable economic system must be established, a system of self-management must be set up and ultimately its autonomous status must be recognized. This should be accomplished within a certain framework by which the rights of Shengal are recognized through a referendum on its relationship with Iraq and the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government).

* What is the attitude Kurdish parties such as the KDP, YNK and PKK and what are you demanding from them?

It is necessary to evaluate each of the Kurdish movements which you mentioned separately with regard to their efforts toward the salvation and future of Shengal. By all means it has been very meaningful and gratifying to see the common struggle for the salvation of Shengal which eventually emerged, regardless of the motivations with which certain groups have acted and continue to act. We hope that the tragedy of Shengal and its longing for freedom will unite all national forces and put an end to certain meaningless conflicts. Shingal is a part of Kurdistan and a home to the Êzidis. Every Kurd can, and in fact ought to, struggle for its liberation and its freedom. Some Kurdish groups have a fractionary understanding by which they say ‘this part belongs to us and other Kurdish organizations cannot come here.’ This understanding will in no way be accepted by the Êzidi community.

Once more it is well known how the powers which have held such an understanding behaved in the course of the events of August 3 and how they left the Êzidis at the mercy of ISIS. Therefore the Êzidis no longer trust them while their confidence in those forces which operate according to the philosophy of the PKK have only increased. Indeed, the Êzidi community looks upon these forces as a guarantee for their own future, their freedom and their security. Despite this we continue to look upon the unification of national forces and the convocation of a national congress as correct and important. Our foundational demands from them is the recognition of an autonomous status for Shengal, the right for the people of Shengal to determine their own fate, and the granting of this authority without conditions. If we want to guarantee the future of the Êzidii community and the Êzidi faith, the only option before us is the recognition of the democratic canton system.

Our expectations are that all national resistance forces – this is the guerilla and peshmerga forces – will operate together against the enemy. Just as they have done so in Kobanê, they can and must do this without problems in Shengal.

* What kinds of expectations do you have from international states and bodies, as well as Kurdish organizations, for the reconstruction of Shengal and other regions where Êzidis live?

International organizations and states can and should act around questions such as the creation of an international fund for the reconstruction and development of Shengal, the recognition of its autonomy by the UN, the recognition of the genocide and the prosecution of the criminals responsible, and transformation of the YBŞ into the legitimate defense force of the Êzidis. If there is a serious political will to counteract the results of this genocide, even if partially, then it is mandatory that serious steps be taken around these questions. Otherwise these powers will be responsible for the ultimate destruction of this community which is now under threat of liquidation and of disappearing. It is unnecessary to remind the international powers of their responsibilities and their necessary obligations around this subject. This reality has now emerged quite openly.

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The humanism and pragmatism of Rojava's revolution
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One of our major interests on this blog is the revolutionary humanism of the people and forces who are making Rojava's advanced revolution. Tonight we will mention two situations which underscore our point.

First we will mention Ahmed Eli. He previously taught at the Yermuk school in the East Botan neighborhood in Kobanê where he is now stationed as a liberation fighter, gun in hand. Ahmed Eli said, "We have to resist in order to give the children of Kobanê a free future.” He joined the resistance after ISIS attacks began and came to the school in the recent People's Defense Forces (YPG) offensive against the barbaric ISIS forces. We have covered this offensive and the retaking of the school on this blog.

Ahmed Eli said that after attacks began his wife, who is also a teacher, and his daughter crossed into North Kurdistan. “I didn’t leave and joined the resistance. Before the attacks began we had obtained visas for Europe, but once the attacks began I changed my mind. I spoke to my wife and told her I wouldn’t go while our country was under attack. She agreed with me and I stayed here,” he said. “Yermuk school was liberated ten days ago. I came here and told our friends I wanted to take up a position here as I have memories of this place where I taught. It’s sad to see these desks and classrooms in this state and I think I must resist more,” he added.

Ahmed Eli called on teachers who left the city to return to defend it, and said, “We have a responsibility to our students, to the children of Kobanê. We have to provide them with an environment where they can be free and be educated. Otherwise we will feel shame. My colleagues should come back so that we can resist together. Let us defend Kobanê and its children.”

Ahmed Eli said that there were many things that needed doing, apart from fighting. “Colleagues could provide services for all the civilians who are here,” he said. He stressed that the people of Kobanê must liberate their city and he called on young people to return and join the resistance.

Second, we must mention that the advisory committee set up to forge political unity among Kurdish parties in West Kurdistan (Rojava) held its first meeting in Qamişlo (Qamishli) yesterday. The committee will meet again in the next three days and with the participation of all of the groups involved.

Twenty elected members of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), 12 from TEV-DEM (Democratic Society Movement), 5 independents and 3 members of the Kurdish National Assembly in Syria (ENKS) attended the meeting at the PYD office in Qamişlo. A decision was taken to reassemble the Political Advisory Committee within 3 days with the attendance of absent members Tahir Sifok, Namet Dawûd, Îbrahîm Biro, Beşar Emîn, Muhsin Tahir, Mihemed Şiwîş, Elî Dawûd, Ehmed Silêman and Feysel Yûsif.

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US naval forces 'repositioned' amid calls for strike against Syria ...

www.scmp.com/.../us-naval-forces-repositioned-amid-calls-strike-against-syria

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "I know some people would like to
say that this is some kind of conspiracy brought about by the opposition in Syria.*

------------------------------

*Gee count me in Mr. Hague (GAAL)

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‘Corpses all over the place’: Baghdad blamed for inaction as Yazidis retake villages from ISIS

Published time: January 13, 2015 05:08

People from the minority Yazidi sect stand guard near Yezidi temple Sharaf al-Din at Mount Sinjar, in the town of Sinjar. (Reuters/Ari Jalal)

Download video (19.09 MB)

As Iraq announced that it may need three years to rebuild its army to battle the Islamic State, RT visited Yazidi villages, whose resistance alongside Kurdish forces not only broke the siege of Mount Sinjar but now stand as a barrier against IS advance.

On a visit to the devastated area, RT was shown the gruesome reality of the massacre sites of Yazidi tribesmen who were slaughtered by Islamic State extremists. The odor of death, decay, and horror reign the area, which is seeing little help from the Baghdad government, after over 50,000 Yazidi residents fled this summer’s IS advances. The UN says up to 5,000 Yazidi men were executed by radicals, and 7,000 women were captured to be sold into slavery.

“From August, we have seen no Iraqi soldiers, nor any Iraqi help. It’s a huge neglect on the part of Iraq. There are peshmerga troops from Kurdistan over here, as well as other Kurdish forces of the region. They’ve already freed several northern villages,” Yazidi military commander Elis Badal told RT.

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Yazidi fighters who recently joined the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) secure a road in Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq. (Reuters/Rodi Said)

Sending reinforcements to secure Kurdish-Yazidi control over the territory might take a while, as Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said that building a strong Iraqi army may take up to three years.

"The most difficult thing is to restructure and build the army while you are in a state of war," Abadi told Reuters during a visit to Cairo on Sunday.

"Our aim is to create a balance between both, by restructuring the army in a way that will not impact the fighting," said Abadi. “Restructuring the army could take three years.”

And while coalition airstrikes may have helped Kurdish forces, Badal says the Islamic State is omnipresent in the country.

“We began digging up this protective ditch several days ago, to protect the villages here. We have enough forces. And, with Allah's help, we are prepared to fend off any attack by ISIS,” Badal told RT.

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Monday, January 12, 2015
The revolutionary movements in Rojava and North Kurdistan move forward
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We apologize to our readers for not having said more about Rojava's revolution in recent days and the fighting underway in and around Kobanî. We are now past the 119th straight day of resistance Kobanî and people rallying at the border maintain the slogans "Long live YPG and YPJ's resistance," "Long live Kobanî Resistance" and "Revolt again and again for our leader Öcalan." In doing so they are supporting a cross-border revolution and the heroic People's/Women's Defense Forces (YPG/YPJ) and calling for the release of imprisoned Kurdish liberation movement leader Abdullah Öcalan. In this spirit we will mix up our news over the last several days.

Fighting in South Kurdistan and Rojava

As we said in another post today, the ISIS gangs have been attacking Mexmûr town of South Kurdistan (so-called "Iraqi Kurdistan" or the Kurdish Regional Government/KRG). Some people have said that ISIS occupied the Gûwêr region of the town and some people in the liberation movement have rightly said that this marks a turn in the fighting.

The ISIS gangs met with resistance from Peshmerga forces in Mexmûr and also have had a tough time of it in the Elbû Mihemed and Kobanî villages of Kerkûk. On the other hand, many villagers are trapped there.

We have continued to watch the fighting around Miştenur in southeast Kobanî (Rojava). In recent days at least 25 ISIS fighters were killed there in intense fighting and many points were taken back by the liberation forces. Clashes also broke out on the resistance front to the east of Kobanî and around the Dibistana Reş (The Black School). This area has been especially dear to us. We have no word on casualties from there.

Women forming communes

Women in Turind village of Efrîn have met and established their commune and have chosen to name it the "Commune of Martyr Arîn Mîrkan." Arîn Mîrkan was a commander of Rojava's Women's Defense Units (YPJ) and died defending Kobanê against an ISIS attack on the 21st day of the fascist onslaught and the courageous resistance brought against ISIS. Arîn was surrounded by the jihadists and detonated a bomb which her and many of the ISIS aggressors as well. The Turind women also adopted the slogan "Life based on the communes, communes are everywhere."

The Turind meeting started with one minute of silence commemorating all those who have fallen in the struggle for peace and freedom. After that Yekîtiya Star Executive Member Jînda Sozdar made a speech and drew attention to the importance of the communes in society. She stressed that "Communes are the bases of establishing Democratic Autonomous Administration and make reuturning to the natural and common life possible." Yekîtiya Star is the leading women's organization of Rojava.

Jînda Sozdar also said that the communes do not discriminate any against parties, sects or nationalities, and she noted that the communes are units of society and include all of the diversities in order to benefit and meet all of the needs of all of society.

After Sozdar's Jînda speech, three women were elected to the administration of the commune and the commune members formed committees for education, reconciliation and economics.

Women in Qamişlo's Asuriye neighborhood also formed their second commune and have named it the "Martyr Leyla Commune." People in this neighborhood are Kurdish and Arabs. Tens of women attended the opening meeting of the second commune.

The meeting began with one minute silence for the martyrs. Then Hêvî Mihemed, who is member of Yekîtiya Star, spoke about the importance of communes and said that they are the basic elements of a liberated society. She also said that all the parts of the society must organize themselves, especially the women, and added, "Women are main characters of the society and revolution. That is why they need to play their roles actively both in the society and revolution." She called on all the women to work together and get organized in their own communes.

At the end of the meeting, the commune members elected executive members and formed committees for social relations, economy, defense, education and reconciliation.

Serêkaniyê's phone service

Phone service and phone connections in Serêkaniyê with other cities has been difficult or impossible, but the Cizîre Canton Ministry of Communication has solved the problems. After ISIS attacked Serêkaniyê, they destroyed and stole many of the tools needed to maintain communication. This left the residents in the city and in the villages without phone connection and communication services.
The YPG forces liberated the city and the Democratic Autonomous Administration established its institutions after a while. The Ministry of Communication recently resolved all of the problems related to phone lines. The Ministry, with help of an expert communication committee, found the needed tools to resolve the connection problems. The residents in Serêkaniyê thanked the Ministry for finding the solution to these problems.

The People's Defense Forces train 56 fighters

The YPG (People's Defense Forces) Military Academy has completed training courses for 56 YPG fighters from all communities living in Qamişo city after 40 days of intense training sessions. The Academy included intellectual lessons and the building of a revolutionary personality to confront terrorism in its work. At the conclusion of the sessions a large ceremony was held.

The ceremony began with a minute of silence in honor of the ultimate sacrifices given by the fallen fighters. Then a YPG commander, Hesen Qamişlo, addressed a speech to the audience in which he stressed that this month is special because so many comrades have been martyred. Hesen Qamişlo added that the historic resistance created by YPG and YPJ (People's/Women's Defense Forces) fighters is unparalleled, and he also talked about the current developments and the conspiracy in Paris where three Kurdish activists were martyred two years ago.

At the end of ceremony, the fighters swore in to keep in their comrades' footsteps and they chanted praise for the YPG and YPJ resistance.

Mother-tongue education

As the historic resistance of the YPG/YPJ fighters continues against the ISIS gangs in Kobanê, children's and women’s needs for mother-tongue education has not been forgotten. Despite the conditions of conflict, Kurdish education is being provided by voluntary teachers. After years of assimilation policies and denial carried out under the Syrian regime, mother-tongue education is continuing in the war-ravaged city despite the attacks of the ISIS gangs.

Classes are held in homes because the schools are not safe, with children and women receiving education in 7 separate groups. Students are taught the Kurdish alphabet and grammar. One of the teachers is Minister of Communication Şevin Mahmud. The Minister said that they had started the lessons in order to distract the woman and children from the grim reality of war. Şevin Mahmud also said that the classes are held every other day, adding that in addition to problems of lack of premises, they also need educational materials. Şevin Mahmud said that they are in contact with volunteers teaching children from Kobanê in Suruç, calling on people to help meet the needs of the children of Kobanê.

Ruhilat Ali, a young woman who is attending the classes, is happy to be learning in her mother tongue. Ali said, “We stayed here as we wanted to be with the fighters of the YPG and YPJ and because we did not want to leave our land.” A child, Narin Ali, was busy writing the letters written on the board by her teacher in her exercise book. She said, “We want to study like other children and to learn Kurdish.”

An ISIS leader killed in Shengal

Kurdish forces killed an ISIS gang fighter notorious for his public beheadings in the town of Shengal yesterday. An ISIS social media page published photos and praise of Muadh Hamad al-Ris, 21 years old, after his death in Shengal. Al-Ris had appeared in numerous videos beheading captured Syrian soldiers. His brother Muhammad Hamad al-Ris, another ISIS gang fighter, is believed to have been killed in Syria last month.

Al-Ris was a Saudi national who joined ISIS in Syria along with 34 other men from the town of al-Tamir in Saudi Arabia.

3 brave young women from North Kurdistan

Three high school students at the İmam Hatip (religious) high school in the Başkale district of Van province (Turkey) have joined the ranks of the guerrillas. Dîlan Baycan, Funda Koç and Münevver Baycan said that they were not comfortable with the pro-ISIS propaganda being disseminated at the school and the assimilation policy in place there against the Kurds.

The three young women from the village of Dikmen were studying at the Başkale İmam Hatip high school. Their parents went to the police station in the town, saying that their daughters had been missing since November 16. The three students said that they had joined the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) on account of the constant pro-ISIS propaganda at the AKP-run İmam Hatip school, and efforts to distance Kurdish students from their identity and culture and recruit them to ISIS. The AKP is Turkey's ruling reactionary party.

Sozda Cansız said, “I was studying at the Başkale İmam Hatip high school. There was constant anti-Kurdish propaganda. I decided with two friends to join the PKK.” She called on her friends at school and outside to join the ranks of the guerrillas.

Arîn Zîlan said that her family was worried by reports that she might have joined ISIS, adding, “The İmam Hatip schools are AKP institutions aiming to assimilate the Kurds. I did some research and decided to join the PKK. Life in the PKK is wonderful, friends’ behavior towards each other is entirely different than the system.”

Amara Botan said that the school had told them not to watch Kurdish TV channels or believe what they said. “They constantly insulted the Kurds. At the AKP schools we forgot our language, culture and very essence. I have seen what savagery ISIS has carried out in the media recently. I realized that in İmam Hatip schools they were recruiting for ISIS. While doing research on the PKK I came across a poem written by Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan on March 8 for women and that influenced me to join,” she said. She called on her friends to join the guerrilla ranks and not study in the schools of the AKP that aim to assimilate the Kurds.

An explosion in Efrîn

On Saturday we learned that 3 YPG fighters and 2 civilians were killed and 3 were wounded in a bomb blast in the Qitmê village in the Shera district of Efrîn Canton in West Kurdistan, Rojava. Asayesh (security) officials quickly initiated an investigation concerning the blast. The license on the motorbike used in the blast belongs to Raqqa, the ammunition center of ISIS gangs. An ISIS rocket attack on December 29 on a checkpoint guarded by the YPG in this village left 5 people dead and 17 others wounded.
Women organize and fight for every humanitarian value
(We apologize for the imprecise translation and editing we have done with this short article. We frequently carry news of DÖKH and mentioned some details of the conference referred to here in a previous post.)

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Kurdish women are organizing themselves in a determined way everywhere, just like in Kobanê where a historic resistance is being conducted under the leadership of the fighters of the Women's Defense Units (YPJ).

The Democratic Free Woman Movement (DÖKH) also conducts a struggle against the system in North Kurdistan with this concept. DÖKH decided at their recent conference in Amed/Diyarbakır to conduct their struggle as a congress. DÖKH activist Aynur Ayın and Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) Co-spokesperson and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Istanbul MP Sabahat Tuncel spoke to the DİHA news service after the women's conference and communicated the following.

DÖKH activist Aynur Ayın evaluated the resistance of women in Kobanê and said, "Kurdish women are defending all the humane, historical and social values in the Kobanê resistance within Rojava's revolution. Kurdish women are pioneering this fact. They are carrying this out not only for themselves, but also for all the humanitarian values. The Democratic Free Woman Movement is conducting democratic and free politics against oppression everywhere, not only in the lands of Kurdistan."

Aynur Ayın also said, "The congress will not remain limited to Kurdish women. We are making provision for the participation of different beliefs and minorities with the motto of 'Democratic and Kurdistani society.' We will enhance the organizing of women with the decisions taken in the congress. We also discussed oppression and violence towards women. We, as the Democratic Free Woman Movement, will oppose all of the politics against women."

HDK Co-spokeperson and HDP MP Sabahat Tuncel said, "We evaluated the organizational state of the women's movement in the congress. We evaluated the policies of Turkey regarding women. A negative policy develops against women in this country every other day. We will rise against every intervention and assaults against women. These ideological assaults try to alienate women from society. But, as Kurdish women, we will never allow this."
The People's Defense Forces (HPG) Is Proving Itself A ‘National Force’ In Heavy Fighting In Kirkuk
The post comes from our friends at The Rojava Report. We have mentioned in another post today the fighting in and around Giwêr and what this might signify in the region. We can say in a few words that the People's Defense Forces (HPG) and the liberation movement are emerging as the leading and consistent forces fighting ISIS and that this emergence primarily rests on their base among the people. We can also say that other forces are either fracturing or lack the particular experiences in combat and politics that the liberation movement has refined. The article below documents this.
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Heavy fighting has broken out in Kirkuk after ISIS fighters assaulted certain districts in the city, according to an article in Özgür Gündem. ISIS forces launched their attack on the townships of Giwêr and Dahuk. Twenty-two security personnel (asayish) and 4 peshmerga fighters were killed defending the area against these attacks. Despite obstacles from the Kurdistan Democratic Party) KDP, People's Defense Forces (HPG) fighters went forward to engage ISIS in combat. Reacting to attempts by the KDP to limit the HPG’s role in the area, Reşat Xidir, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (YNK) official responsible for Maxmûr, has publicly stated that the HPG is a "national force."
ISIS launched a large offensive Friday night against Kirkuk and Giwêr, a town close to Maxmûr. The first attack on Giwêr was carried out from 9 different points and it is reported that a large part of the town fell in the initial ISIS advance. It is also claimed that the areas which fell under ISIS control had been under the command of Peshmerga officers. Amid reports that these officers had not taken sufficient precautions to defend the area, further reports emerged claiming that these peshmerga officers had attempted to inhibit efforts of HPG and YJA-STAR (Free Women's Forces) guerrillas to assist in the defense of the area. Guerilla and coalition forces moved in to halt the ISIS advance following the capture of city hall and many other places in Giwêr and heavy casualties on part of the local defenders. Much of the town was retaken the next morning, as ISIS forces pulled back after sustaining heavy casualties. 25 ISIS fighters are reported to have been killed. According to local sources, HPG guerrillas also moved into the town of Baqertê between Maxmûr and Hewlêr in order to protect it from attack.
The HPG Is The Only Trained Force
Reşat Xidir, responsible for the YNK in Maxmûr, said that local civilians had been evacuated in order to reduce the possibility of civilian casualties. Speaking of how there were peshmerga, HPG guerrillas, tribal forces, and units from the Iraqi army, Xidir added that “the only well organized and trained force here is the HPG. The major operations have almost all been carried out by the HPG while the local peshmerga report to Şirwan Barzani and Necat Eli.
‘Our Job Is To Allow Them To Do Theirs’’
When asked why the HPG had its efforts obstructed at the beginning of the fighting, Xidir responded: “From what I have seen the situation is being thought over thoroughly. The HPG has proved itself a presence in Maxmûr. This is clear from Xaneqîn to Maxmûr and from there all the way to Şengal (Sinjar). The HPG is a national force. Our Job is to allow the HPG forces to continue to defend the area. The HPG has lost fighters defending the lands which belong to the people. It has spilled its blood on these lands. All of our forces must be prepared and ready. As is well known ISIS can attack whenever they want if preparations are not made.
Heavy Clashes In The Villages Around Dakûk
As it attacked in Maxmûr, the ISIS also launched a simultaneous attack around the township of Dakûk in Kirkuk. Heavy clashes were reported as ISIS fighters moved into areas around the villages of Waadê and Xalid. The Peshmerga commander on the Kirkuk Front, Wista Resul, explained that yesterday morning ISIS also launched a large offensive against the villages of Meryem Beg, Reşad, and Taze, but were forced to pull back after 10 of their fighters were killed. No peshmerga or guerilla fighters were killed in the fighting.
In a separate attack which also took place yesterday morning, ISIS assaulted the area around the villages of Mektep Halit, Tilwerid, and Mela Abdullah in the town of Darkûk. HPG/YJA-Star and peshmerga fighters established a joint defensive perimeter around the town and have launched a counter-operation near the village of Kakaî.
Abdullah Öcalan has addressed the people in Cizre about the fighting there


Kurdish liberation movement leader Abdullah Öcalan has sent a message for the people in Cizîr (Cizre in Şırnak) as tension remains high in the district. We have covered these struggles in some depth on this blog.

Tensions remain high in the Cizîr district of Şirnex after 5 people lost their lives in attacks by the reactionary Hezbollah/Hür Dava Party working in cooperation with the Turkish police. Turkish police also attacked Kurdish young people commemorating the three Kurdish female politicians Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan and Leyla Şaylemez who were assassinated in Paris on January 9, 2013 this evening. Police shot and wounded a young man named Mehmet Elçi in that incident.

Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is imprisoned on Imrali Island, has sent a message to the people in Cizîr about the provocations by the police and the pro-Hezbollah mobs. Abdullah Öcalan delivered his message to a delegation of progressive leaders who are visiting him as part of the peace process he initiated between the Kurdish liberation movement and the Turkish state. That delegation now includes Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair Hatip Dicle, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Deputy Parliamentary Group Chairs İdris Baluken and Pervin Buldan and HDP Deputy Co-chair Sırrı Süreyya Önder. They met with Abdullah Öcalan on January 10. The full text of the message will be delivered to the people by Hatip Dicle in Cizîr on Wednesday.

The provocations by the police and reactionary forces in Cizîr have been met with stiff resistance by the people. The government has used the people's fight-back as an excuse to further attack the liberation movement. Local progressive politicians have attempted to negotiate with the Cizîr police and other authorities with mixed results. The possibility that the fighting will be used to negatively affect the peace process is very real. On the other hand, the liberation movement and the genuine people's parties draw their real strength from the people's activity.




"We promise women of the world that we will succeed."
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Women's Defense Forces (YPJ) Kobanî commander Gülistan Kobanî
Women's Defense Forces (YPJ) Kobanî commander Gülistan Kobanî, assessed the ISIS attacks on Rojava's Kobanî canton which began on September 15, 2014, for the ANF news service and said, “The YPJ’s slogan against these attacks is ‘Even if only the YPJ is left, Kobanî will not fall.’ In nearly 4 months the YPJ has fulfilled this slogan.” She added that Kobanî has not fallen and that the YPJ has prevented the ISIS gangs advancing in all areas. “The YPJ has demonstrated that neither ISIS nor any other force will succeed against the Kurdish people when the YPJ is present,” she said.
Commander Gülistan Kobanî also said that the YPJ had been founded to combat the dominant male mentality and has inflicted significant blows against ISIS. “The resistance displayed by the YPJ against the savage ISIS gangs has created hope amongst women everywhere,” she said, and she added that the YPJ has protected women’s honor and identity. “Men used to lack confidence in women, but this has been changed by our resistance. Women have fought heroically in the front line against ISIS and the male fighters who’ve seen this have great respect for the YPJ,”Gülistan Kobanî said.
The commander said that they never believed that Kobanî would fall. Fighters like Dicle, Delila, Hevi, Nuda and Arîn Mîrkan---all heroic women fighters---refused to let the enemy pass and sacrificed their lives heroically. "These comrades became a symbol of freedom for Kurdish women and women all over the world,” she said.
Commander Kobanî said that the YPJ has become feared by the ISIS gangs, adding, “Neither ISIS nor the cold weather can stop us. The operation to liberate Kobanî will continue and Kobanî will be free.” She concluded by saying, “Our resistance and struggle will continue. We promise the women of the world on behalf of our fallen comrades that we will succeed.”
The organization of a joint defense force in the Kurdish regions is a necessity
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The KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council Co-Presidency has said in a statement that the ISIS gangs that were forced to retreat and failed to reach their goal in the face of the resistance by guerrilla and peshmerga forces in Kobanê and Sinjar now intend to attack Hewlêr by launching a new wave of attacks over the Guwer and Maxmur line.
Hewler is also known as Arbil or Erbil and is the capital and the largest city of the Kurdistan Region, or so-called "Iraqi Kurdistan." It is located about 55 miles east of Mosul.
The KCK reported that violent clashes have taken place as the resistance mounted by the HPG (People's Defense Forces) and YJA-STAR (Women's Free Troops) guerrillas and peshmerga forces inflicted heavy losses on the fascist ISIS fighters and forced them out of Guwer town.
The KCK also paid tribute to the memory of fallen peshmerga fighters who were killed in this fighting and extended condolences to their families, the peshmerga command and the South Kurdistan government.
The KCK stressed that ISIS fascism intends to destroy the existence and freedom of the Kurdish people and the oppressed peoples, faith groups and their cultures and that it is a must for all the oppressed peoples and cultures to step up the struggle against the fascist gang organization.
"The joint struggle waged by the guerrilla and peshmerga forces against ISIS fascism in both Kobanê and Sinjar, as well as many other places in South Kurdistan, has brought hope and trust among the Kurdish people, as well as for the oppressed peoples and communities in the region. Going beyond being a need, it has now become a must to ensure the enhancement of national and political unity and the organization of joint military forces in order for the protection of the existence and freedom of the Kurdish people," the KCK statement stressed.
The KCK said that the Kurds will be targeting ISIS fascism everywhere it is present and they vowed to continue the fight until the barbaric organization is left without the will to fight and is permanently disabled.
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Tuesday, January 13, 2015




Women’s resistance in Kobanê is breaking taboos---a post from ANF


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The historic resistance of the people of Kobanê under the leadership of the People's/Women's Defense Forces (YPG/YPJ) to the ISIS attacks is now in its 121st day. Women fighting in the ranks of the YPJ has caught the attention of the world. Hiva Huso is one of these women.

Hiva Huso, who sent her 8 children and husband to Suruç in Turkey/North Kurdistan after the ISIS attacks on Kobanê, has joined the public security forces (Asayish) and is not leaving the town. Hiva Huso told the ANF news service that “Every mother loves her children, but a person’s love for their land and their freedom is an even stronger emotion.” Her comments epitomize the women’s struggle in Kobanê.

First in Aleppo, now in Kobanê

Hiva Huso is 40 years old and has 8 children, the oldest being 19 and the youngest 5. When the regime began its attacks on Aleppo, she moved her family to Kobanê, then returned to Aleppo to continue her role in the public security forces set up by the people which is responsible for the security of the Kurdish neighborhood. Hiva Huso was then sent to Kobanê by her colleagues so that she would not be far from her children.

Following ISIS attacks on Kobanê, Hiva Huso sent her husband and children Ruhat, Rosela, Reber, Rojda, Zozan, Hevidar, Muhammed and Hındirin to Suruç. She has not once considered leaving the city, and is continuing her duties in the public security force. Hiva Huso misses her children, but she is sure that the determined struggle of the women will defeat the ISIS gangs and that she will soon embrace them again in Kobanê.

‘ISIS will be defeated’

Hiva Huso, walking the streets with her gun, is sure that ISIS will be defeated. “Whatever they do they will lose, as we women of Kobanê are organized and have decided to fight to the end,” she told ANF.

‘Everything is for the children’

Hiva Huso took out her mobile phone and showed the ANF reporters a video her children sent her and the other women in the city every day of people shouting “Long live the YPJ and Asayish”. She added, “For a society that believes in the freedom movement and Apo philosophy, gender is not important. We are fighting most against the dominant mentality that condemns women to look after the home and children. Of course I love and miss my children, as every mother does, but a person’s love for their land and their freedom is an even stronger emotion, because if we are defending our land separated from our children it is all for the future of these children.” "Apo philosophy" refers to ideas of imprisoned Kurdish liberation movement leader Abdullah Öcalan.








KCK: Every death in prison is a murder


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The KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council Co-Presidency has issued a statement reacting to the increasing number of deaths of political prisoners in Turkish jails. We have covered many of these deaths and the circumstances surrounding them on this blog.

Five revolutionary inmates have lost their lives in prison within the past two weeks and the KCK has stressed that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) state intended to make the situation of ill prisoners a matter of negotiation.

The KCK Executive Council Co-Presidency pointed out that the AKP state's oppressive, fascistic and revengeful policies disregarding universal law and human rights continue to be imposed on revolutionary inmates in Turkish prisons.The KCK statement also emphasized that hundreds of inmates who remain in jail despite being in a life-threatening situation are also further denied treatment while they cannot even meet their needs by themselves.

"Despite the fact that the (Turkish law) requires the release of ill prisoners, the AKP state is not doing this, and is on the contrary intending to make the situation of ill prisoners a matter of negotiation as part of the resolution of the Kurdish question. This attitude, which is far from political ethics is, above all things, neither moral nor ethical," the KCK statement said.

Warning the AKP over these dirty and immoral policies, the KCK called on the ruling AKP to immediately abandon its present approach, to respect human life and to act in line with the international laws and the domestic law of Turkey.

The KCK said that forensic medicine institutions have acted jointly with the AKP regarding the continuing of the imprisonment of ill prisoners, recalling that lung cancer patient prisoner Mehmet Canpolat jailed in the Kandıra F Type Prison was the most recent inmate to die as a result of these policies and that the forensic medicine report demanded the continuance of his sentence regardless of his advancing disease.

Stressing that this political attitude causes the death of more and more ill prisoners every day, the KCK said: “Every death in prison is a murder committed jointly by the AKP ruling and forensic medicine institutions.”

The KCK called on all people to put pressure on the AKP and step up the struggle to ensure the release of all ill prisoners and extended condolences to the families of all those martyred in Turkish jails,








Abdullah Öcalan sends letter to Assyrian-Syriac-Chaldean people


Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan has sent a letter to the Assyrian-Syriac-Chaldean people, emphasizing the importance of their participating in the construction of a democratic common nation in their ancestral homeland.

The letter notes that the calamities caused by capitalist modernity, the latest representative of the central system of civilization, has begun to be seen by all the peoples of the world, in particular in the Middle East, and that there are important lessons to be learned from the tragedies of the exploited peoples who have been targeted.

The letter emphasizes that the situation of the Assyrian-Syriac-Chaldean people, who in ancient times in Mesopotamia established empires, and have now been reduced by massacres to the status of "minority"’ or "religious community"’ is of great significance. The letter stresses what a loss it would be for the culture of the Middle East if the Assyrian-Syriac-Chaldean people were to disappear, adding that the national question of this ancient people is the very essence of the sorry tale of a great civilization in the Middle East. “I consider that it is the duty and task of all the peoples of Kurdistan, first and foremost the Kurdish people, to ensure this ancient people can escape this sorry tale and mount a revival,” the letter continues, adding that this revival will be possible as part of a transformation on the basis of democratic civilization and democratic modernity.

The letter also emphasizes the importance of the all of the peoples living in the region playing a role in the construction of a democratic nation, and that the historic role to be played by the Assyrian-Syriac-Chaldean people will be unrivaled. The letter notes that the Assyrian-Syriac-Chaldean people have been dispersed to all four corners of the world, and that their participation in the construction of a joint homeland-democratic nation in the ancient lands will be of the utmost significance. The letter adds that the latest attacks on the Assyrian-Syriac-Chaldean people on the Nineveh plain has demonstrated the need for self-defense and that the national-social problems of the region can be resolved by self-government and radical transformation. Abdullah Öcalan argued in the letter that an existential upsurge is possible on the basis of the three principles of democratic modernity:Democratic Society, Economic Society and Ecological Society.

Abdullah Öcalan concluded his letter by sending his heartfelt greetings to the Assyrian-Syriac-Chaldean people and reiterating his belief that they will take their rightful place in the mosaic of peoples in the Democratic Confederal Middle East that will ensue after the revival of the ancient cultures.






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"For us, 2015 will be a year witnessing significant achievements in the Rojava revolution."
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DİHA is running the following important article regarding a particular view of Rojava's revolution, and one that we generally share. We have not edited the article. The YPG and YPJ are Rojava's People's and Women's Defense Forces.

YPG commander Dijwar Xebat underlined: "The fighters of YPG and YPJ have proved and showed in Kobanê this year to all the world how the Daesh gangs and their supporters, who want to suffocate Rojava revolution, can be defeated. Next year, 2015, will be the year in which the gangs of Daesh will be cleansed from Rojava Kurdistan and Syria" and added that they had promised to peoples for this.

One of the YPG Kobanê Commanders, evaluated the resistance mounted against the ISIS attacks in Kobanê and Rojava during 2014, its outcomes and their expectations for 2015. The YPG Kobanê Commander stressed that in the present situation the ISIS gangs have suffered a defeat in the face of the YPG/YPJ resistance, adding: “We are welcoming 2015 with victory steps against the ISIS gangs in Kobanê and entire Rojava.” Recalling that the ISIS attacks on Rojava revolution have continued all year long, Commander said that the gangs launched their most expansive attacks on Kobanê early September when -he added- Kobanê responded to the attacks with a spirit of self-sacrifice and the philosophy of leader Apo, referring to Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan. “Kobanê has been the beginning of the end for the ISIS”, he said.

'Rojava revolution opened way for peoples'

“Before evaluating the struggle of the YPG/YPJ in 2014, we firstly salute our people who laboured for the resistance throughout the year and bow respectfully before the memory of the martyrs”, said YPG Commander who also stressed that the year 2014 was of great importance for Kurdistan and the peoples of the Middle East. Mazlum remarked that the Kurdish people also had an active role in the so-named 'Arab spring' that began early 2011, and that they as the Kurdish people had made their preparations in advance in order to change the wave of change and transformation in the Middle East into a struggle set to assure a revolutionary and democratic future for the peoples.Noting that the Rojava revolution as part of this struggle has opened the way for a democratic future of the Kurds and the peoples of Syria and the Middle East, the YPG Commander underlined that Kurds with the Rojava revolution have been the only people to actualize a project for the liberation of the peoples.

'Rojava revolution was intensely attacked in 2014'

The YPG Commander also pointed out that after the system in Rojava fell into place towards the year 2014, dominant and reactionary powers also realized the fact that the Rojava revolution could set an example to all the peoples in the Middle East. He continued: “They therefore intensified their attacks against our revolution. We can say that 2014 witnessed very intense attacks on the Rojava revolution. The Kurdish people had made their preparations on this basis after anticipating attacks targeting the revolution. They developed their self-defense position, established the YPG/YPJ and the defense units of the revolution and people. Our target was to protect the revolution and our national values.” YPG Commander stressed that the increasingly enhanced attacks on the revolution have proved the vital need for the self-defense forces they had formed earlier. He further recalled that the first wave of concentrated attacks began in Kobanê at the beginning of the year when the ISIS firstly eliminated other Islamist groups and the Free Syrian Army from the region extending from Deyr Ez Zor to Jarablus, and started to attack Kobanê with the beginning of February.

'We responded with legitimate defense'

YPG Commander noted that in the face of the ISIS attacks on the gains of the Kurdish people, which they had anticipated because the Rojava system promised a democratic future to the peoples, they responded with a sense of legitimate defense. He reminded that the ISIS gangs launched their first attacks on Kobanê in February and intensified them late March, witnessing on the other hand the strength of the Kurdish people and YPG/YPJ as it suffered heavy losses in the fighting during this period. The YPG Commander said that the ISIS withdrew its forces from Kobanê and attacked other regions after seeing that it wouldn't be able to attain a result in Kobanê at an ordinary level of attacks in the face of the resistance mounted against it. “With the comprehensive attack that came early July, we saw that all the former attacks had been planned in order to prepare the ground for more expansive attacks targeting Kobanê and the Rojava revolution”, he added.

'ISIS started larger scaled attacks after seeing that it wouldn't be easy to take Kobanê'

Remarking that the ISIS gangs launched attacks on three fronts of Kobanê with heavy weapons they brought in from other regions, Mosul being in the first place, during the month of July, he continued: “This wave of attacks, which was carried out with the help of weapons and financial opportunities the ISIS gained especially after its occupation of Mosul, was the most expansive attack conducted during the year. Towards the end of July, the ISIS gangs were repelled on all the three fronts of Kobanê and inflicted severe blows during the Revenge Operation for Kobanê Martyrs. Following this defeat, the ISIS gangs attacked Sinjar and perpetrated a massacre there. With the Sinjar attack, the ISIS gangs captured a number of strategic points belonging to the regime without facing any resistance.” Recalling that the strategic points captured by the ISIS from the regime included significant military points such as the Tabqa military airport, 21st and 91st regiment and 7th battalion, He said the heavy wepons, tanks and ammunition ISIS seized here were enough to meet the needs of an army. He said that the ISIS gangs deployed all these weapons and munitions around Kobanê, and thus started as of 15 September to launch the most comprehensive and heaviest attacks on Kobanê among the Rojava cantons.

'Alliance with Arab representatives before September's attack'

Noting that the ISIS gangs had also launched attacks on Cizîrê canton, Hesekê and Jazaa during the year before the attacks on Kobanê began, he added: “After failing to attain the result it desired and the defeats it suffered in these regions, the ISIS headed back towards Kobanê, the starting point of the 19 July revolution and the democratic confederal system, which is also the point of connection between the cantons of Cizîr and Afrîn, and a location the ISIS considered as the weakest link in Rojava. With the fall of Kobanê, it had been intended to destroy the democratic future and system of the Kurdish people and the peoples of the Middle East.” He continued by reminding that some groups affiliated to the FSA developed an alliance with the YPG in Cizîrê Canton and Kobanê after the observations and evaluations they made regarding the ISIS gangs before the September's attack later proved to be right. “Early September, an alliance was formed between the YPG and some FSA-affiliated groups by the name of Burkan Al Fırat. This alliance didn't only have a military importance but it was also a significant development ensured with Arab representatives on the basis of a joint struggle of the peoples.”

'Great bravery manifested'

YPG Commander said that they could speak of an exact success of the YPG/YPJ forces against the ISIS in Kobanê in line with an evaluation of the ISIS attacks that lasted throughout the year and the massive attack that has left 107 days behind now. He emphasised that the ISIS gangs have so far suffered a heavy defeat and blow in the most expansive attacks they launched on Kobanê despite having a superiority of technical opportunities, armament and number of fighters. Mazlum also recalled that the ISIS gangs have recently brought in mercenaries from a number of places across the world in order to attain a result in Kobanê in the face of the most recent defeat it has suffered. He added that all these ISIS mercenaries have been killed in the fighting. Pointing out that great bravery has been manifested against the ISIS gangs during the year and the last 107 days, he continued: “A determined struggle has been waged with kalashnikov rifles and hand grenades against tanks and mortars. Everyone said Kobanê would fall and nobody thought of the contrary but fighters of the YPG/YPJ did never have such a feeling or thought, not even a moment. They never lost trust in victory and success, nor ever hesitated to sacrifice their lives for freedom.”

'We stood against the attacks with a spirit of self-sacrifice and the philosophy of Leader Apo'

YPG Commander stressed that against the attacks ISIS carried out with a technical and numeric superiority, they stood with a the philosophy of Leader Apo, a spirit of self-sacrifice and a strong organisation. “In addition, we construed the enemy correctly and anticipated what it could do. On this basis, we were prepared for attacks and savagery at any level, and fought the enemy with a superiority of precise morale and courage. The ISIS gangs were superior than us with regard to technics, arms and number of militants but the heroic determination, motivation, commitment and courage of the YPG/YPJ fighters has been our greatest advantage against the ISIS. As a matter of fact, Kobanê has witnessed the battle of a superior technics and a people fighting for their freedom who have indeed won the war so far", he added. He stressed that resistance to the most recent attack in Kobanê has been mounted in all areas, adding that: “Except for those forced to leave Kobanê, a significant part of the people remained in the town and became a major part of this resistance. Alongside an organisation of fighters that are ideologically and philosophically equipped, the people have also waged a significant fight against the ISIS gangs in Kobanê.”

'ISIS empire of fear was overthrown in Kobanê'

He underlined that the most significant results revealed by the Kobanê resistance includes the demolition of the empire of fear built by the ISIS gangs. “The ISIS gangs that spread fear across the regions it attacked earlier could obtain no benefit from this most effective method of theirs in Kobanê. On the contrary, they were afraid in the face of the YPG/YPJ resistance and this savage method was shattered by the firm will of the YPG/YPJ fighters. With this truth revealed in Kobanê, all forces that have so far been unable to stand against the ISIS attacks have developed self-confidence and determination. The ISIS legend of fear has ended in Kobanê where the ISIS gangs now don't want to fight any more. Kobanê has turned into a source of fear for the ISIS gangs that have been greatly dispirited in Kobanê.” Commenting Kobanê's strength to remain standing despite all the siege and attacks during the year as a historic success, he said that: “With the resistance mounted in Kobanê, the ISIS gangs are currently going through a downfall and disintegration all across Syria. Attacking the Kurdish people devoted to their freedom and the Rojava revolution has been the beginning of the end for the ISIS gangs that have suffered a major defeat in firstly Rojava and then Kobanê, especially in the face of the YPG/YPJ resistance.”

'We are entering new year with victory steps'

YPG Commander Mazlum emphasised that the YPG were now advancing step by step on the path to victory following the last three months of 2014 that witnessed a battle with very fierce clashes. Mazlum made the following evaluation for the new year: “It could be said that in the new year we will announce the defeat of the ISIS and the victory of YPG forces. We are entering the new year with a high morale and spirits, and with a major success and gains. For us, 2015 will be a year witnessing significant achievements in the Rojava revolution. In this regard, I would like to quote leader Apo who said that ''2015 will be the year of success and victory of the Kurdish people's revolution'. We also promise our people that this will be the year of success and victory. Ahead of us are major successes and victories in military, political and social areas, primarily in Kobanê.”

"All peoples should support the Kobanê resistance because Kobanê's success is the success of the entire Syria and Middle East."
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Kobane Canton deputy Prime Minister Xalid Berkel evaluated the political gains attained with the historic resistance of the last year in Kobanê and the developments it will bring along in the new year in an interview with DİHA. We are reblogging that interview here without editing. The YPG/YPJ are Rojava's heroic People's/Women's Defense Forces.

Xalid Berkel pointed out that the Kobanê resistance has shown the whole world that the Kurdish people cannot be left without status any more. The deputy Prime Minister of the Kobanê Canton said that the Kobanê resistance has opened the way for democracy in Syria and the Middle East, adding that: "One of the major political gains attained by our resistance is the fact that our democratic autonomous system has proved to be a perspective of resolution to all the problems of Syria and the Middle East. Berkel recalled that the Kobanê resistance has also changed the regional policy of international powers, and that a humanitarian corridor was still the primary need and demand for Kobanê for the new year.

* Which political results has the year-long resistance to the ISIS gangs in Kobanê yielded?

Kobanê faced attacks by the ISIS gangs throughout 2014. The attacks began with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and continued with the ISIS gangs that intensified their attacks as of the Newroz Day. As is known, attacks have reached the highest level in the last three months during which Kobanê mounted a determined resistance to the ISIS gangs. The historic year-long resistance in Kobanê has also brought along political gains and results of historic importance. The Kobanê resistance has shown and proved the whole world that the Kurdish people cannot be left without status any more. It has demonstrated the fact that no power that attempts to ignore the will of the Kurdish people can succeed in the Middle East. Against the inhuman attacks of the ISIS over the last three months, Kobanê has become a point of resistance with regard to not only the national democratic rights of the Kurds but also the human values for all the peoples of the world.

The ISIS gangs whose single philosophy is plunder and massacre aimed to throttle the Rojava revolution in the body of Kobanê, as well as to suppress all the peoples and to have them obey themselves in line with their interests. The ISIS gangs have however failed to achieve this purpose of theirs and suffered, alongside the powers they served, a major defeat in the face of the Kobanê resistance. One of the primary political gains of the Kobanê resistance has been to defeat the policies aiming to leave the Kurdish people without status in this century and to destroy their gains. With the Kobanê resistance, the Kurdish people have once again reminded the whole world and dominant states of their organised state and the will for self-defense, and that they are among the most important political actors in the region. Kobanê resistance has opened the way for the peoples of the Middle East to attain freedom and democracy, and instilled the peoples a trust in struggle against the dominant powers. In this regard, the most significant results of the Kobanê resistance include the presentation of a democratic model to the peoples, its defense, and the manifestation of the will for its continuation. Our resistance in Kobanê has enabled the recognition of our democratic society model which is the resolution of the problems in Syria and the Middle East, and it clearly brought a perspective of solution, especially in Syria, to the agenda of the peoples.

The sense of "invincible power" created by the ISIS gangs in the region has also been exterminated with the Kobanê resistance and the peoples living in regions occupied by the ISIS came to realize that they do not have to live under the cruelty of the ISIS. The front of joint struggle we formed with the Arab people within the frame of the Burkan Al Fırat alliance has also paved the way for a joint action of the Arab and Kurdish peoples for the democratization of Syria, and has been one of the major political results revealed in Kobanê for the peoples. The Kobanê resistance has also changed the regional policy of the international powers to which the resistance by YPG/YPJ left no choice but act together with the Kurdish people and consider a joint fight against the ISIS gangs. From this point of view, Kobanê has played a role which has also shaped the world politics. The struggle of the Kurdish people is recognised and embraced by the whole world now. I would also like to make a particular mention of the bravery manifested by the YPJ forces during the year. The YPJ became the basic subject of our resistance. Kurdish women led by the YPJ had a determining effect on the international support enhanced for Kobanê and the achieved political gains of ours.

* How do you evaluate the support given to your resistance by the other parts of Kurdistan and peoples of the world?

The unprecedented support and participation of the Kurdistan people to our resistance, the people of North Kurdistan being in the first place, has been one of the major factors that has brought our resistance to the point of victory during the year. The solidarity of the region's and world's peoples has been one of the basic gains of our struggle against the ISIS. This support was important, not only for Kobanê not to fall, but also for the joint struggle of the world's peoples.

* What kind of developments could be brought along by the present political gains of yours? What are your expectations from the new year?

We believe the new year will be one to witness the development of democratic resolutions by the peoples of the entire region and Syria under the leadership of the Kurdish people in line with these political gains. We trust our democratic autonomy project will be invigorated and embraced by all the peoples in both Rojava and the entire region. The Kobanê resistance has prepared the ground for this. In consideration of the political results revealed by the Kobanê resistance, the Syrian opposition should in the new year act in a democratic alliance with the Kurdish people. Disclaiming the struggle of the Kurdish people will bring nothing to these powers, nor serve democratization in Syria. On this basis, we call on them to see the mounted resistance and to fight together against the ISIS which is the common enemy of all peoples. All peoples should support the Kobanê resistance because Kobanê's success is the success of the entire Syria and Middle East. Our resistance in Kobanê will continue. Forces of the YPG/YPJ enhanced the resistance more and more every day and manifested great bravery against attacks at any level. In the new year, we will be protecting the political gains we have achieved thanks to our resistance, and announce the victory of democracy in Rojava, Syria and the Middle East.

* Is a humanitarian corridor into Kobanê still a need, and is your demand for that still in place?

Our expectations for Kobanê from the new year include an urgent opening of a humanitarian corridor into Kobanê, it is among our basic demands. In the new year, all international powers should do their part on this matter.

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