Anwar Muslem: Kobanî was start of great risk's removal on Syria

KOBANÎ

Anwar Muslem said that IS' defeat in Kobanî was the beginning of removing a great risk on Syria, noting that the Autonomous Administration with all components has respected the good neighbor for years, and reached the highest levels of democracy, calling, on this occasion, for the Syrian government to consider the sacrifices of the Syrians in the north of the country, know their role in maintaining the Syrian lands' unity and start a national dialogue in deeds not just words.

A dialogue conducted by Hawar news agency with the co-chair of the Democratic Autonomous Administration's (DAA) Executive Body in the Euphrates region Anwar Moslem on the occasion of the 4th anniversary of Kobanî's liberation from IS that marks January 26.

The text of the dialogue included,

Did Kobanî pay the price of announcing a new system in the area which is the Democratic Autonomous Administration's (DAA) system, and launching the Revolution of 19th July before that in the result of IS' attack that was revealed to have been driven by a number of regional intelligence agencies, why was Kobanî chosen?

When it launched an attack against Kobanî, that was not on the 15th of September, before that, Jabhet al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham attacked this region. Let us step back slightly to the Revolution of 19th July which has caused a major change in northern Syria for the first time. After the struggle of dozens of years, the people of these areas were enabled to manage their areas, preserve their institutions and protect themselves after years of loss they have lived.

The Kurds and Syrians have suffered a lot and were deprived of the most basic rights such as learning in their language, and showing their culture so we consider the Revolution of 19th July as a leap for the oppressed peoples in northern Syria, and this is what the regional countries did not satisfy with, and they got fear of the people that rise with their will, especially the countries where the Kurds and other minorities are existed.

From this point of view, these countries sought through agendas to tighten the screws on this project through the threat and siege, even they cut off water, electricity and medicines from Kobanî, and this was done by the radical Islamic forces that have emerged in recent times such as IS, Jabhet al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham that claimed to be among the Syrian Free Army to began attacking the western and eastern villages of Kobanî. The aim was to get rid of the areas that manage themselves by themselves, in particular Kobanî from which the 19th July Revolution began to reach other areas of northern Syria.

What role did Kobanî liberation play in the war against IS which posed a threat to the whole world?

The conflict in Syria has shifted since the first day. Many of the Free Army fighters left the Syrian capital Damascus and headed towards Kobanî and the adjacent areas at that time. This was a service for Turkish projects, that is, the proxy war until IS that had a large force and equipment emerged.

IS has been defeated in Kobanî for the first time in spite of the weapons it had. We do not deny that our fighters quickly withdrew from the neighboring villages, but in the city, the fighters were engaged into a fierce war and managed to expel IS out the city. Everyone has convinced that IS can be defeated.

Thanks to the resistance in Kobanî, many other areas such as Manbij and al-Raqqa which was taken as the capital by IS were liberated, and that removed a great danger inside Syria. IS mercenaries are about to be defeated completely and we are talking at the geographical and military levels only, but the mentality imposed by IS on the Syrian citizens and foreigners is still common among them.

Although many videos and documents proved the strength of the relationship between Turkey and IS, especially during the battles in Kobanî, the international community remained silent towards that. How this affects the Autonomous Administration's project in North Syria amid the Turkish threats?

Yes, that cannot be denied as thousands of mercenaries who were arrested in the last few years by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have confirmed that they lived in the cities of Gaziantep, Adana, Istanbul and other cities under the auspices of the Turkish government. The Turkish government entered them to the territory of a neighboring country such as Syria and this is clear and everyone knows that.

It is a good question when you ask why the international community is silent about the Turkish practices. Inside Turkey, the press is banned, the opposition politicians, mayors and others are arrested, except that the country is suffering from a severe economic crisis.

Who committed the massacres in France and other European cities in 2017, 2018 are the mercenaries who had been in al-Raqqa and then left for Turkey with full freedom. Here, I can only say that Turkey is a great sponsor of the terrorists spread around the world, and the international community must move towards this danger. 

In coincidence with encircling what have been remained of IS mercenaries in their last pocket of eastern Syria, Turkey is trying through military operations to occupy these areas as happened in Afrin under the pretext of protecting its national security. How the DAA which fought a terrorism represented by IS over years can be threaten by Turkey which was known to be the source of the jihadists coming to Syria?

During our battle against IS, the main objective during the last few years has been to preserve the values ​​of societies and not to create discrimination among them. With the solidarity of all the components of northern Syria, we have created the highest levels of democracy, maintained good relations with Turkey as we never launched a single bullet or shell towards the Turkish people, and respected their existence over the past years.

Unfortunately, Turkey has provoked us all these years as it supported the extremist groups that committed the massacres against our people. When the Syrian Democratic Forces clamped down on IS in al-Raqqa, Turkey bombarded the populated villages in Kobanî. This was also the case when IS mercenaries were encircled in Hajin town, east of Syria as the Turkish artillery bombarded those villages and threatened of launching a military operation targeting the areas of north and east Syria, the areas that eliminated IS.

After the liberation of one-third of Syria from IS, the accusations against the AA are increasing to be working on a separatist project. How do you assess this, and what is the duty of the Syrian government to reach a national dialogue that serves all Syrians in your opinion?

That calls itself the Syrian opposition has promoted and still promotes for the term of the separatists. Who have maintained the unity of the Syrian territories are those who fought IS, the people of the areas that manage themselves by themselves within the DAA. This term is used by the opposition through the media stations to reach its goal which is to occupy those areas and hand them over to Turkey. In fact, they are whom seek a separatist project.

On the other hand, the Turkish threats continue to invade Syria militarily. Unfortunately, the Syrian regime cannot condone these threats. Any Turkish attack may reignite the situation again and erupt an endless war so the Syrian government must respect the sacrifices of the people of this area who have maintained the security of the country against any division, and turn towards a constructive national dialogue.

ANHA