Shiraz Hamo: We to escalate our resistance; Liberation of Afrin is our priority

Turkey and its mercenary groups occupied Afrin canton on March 18, 2019, after an attack that began on January 20 of the same year.

Immediately after the occupation of the canton, Turkey proceeded to displace the indigenous people, resettle the families of mercenaries in the occupied canton, in addition to imposing the Turkish language in the curricula of teaching, and the release of Turkish names on the public squares, along with many kidnappings, killings, looting, and stealing, which took place all within the framework of a policy of demographic change, the Turkish state pursues it in the occupied territories.

With the second anniversary of the Turkish attack on Afrin near, ANHA held a dialogue with the co-chair of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration DAA of the occupied Afrin canton, Shiraz Hamo, on the risks of occupation, the resistance of the people, the difficulties faced by the administration and the people in the conditions of displacement, and the diplomatic efforts of the liberation of the occupation to liberate the canton of the occupation

The following is the text of the interview:

- How do you evaluate the resistance of the people of Afrin against the Turkish occupation that has been going on for two years?

The Turkish occupation continues to target the entire region by targeting culture, civilians, and historical landmarks, as Afrin canton witnesses daily violations, war crimes, committed by the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries.

What Turkey wants through these criminal practices is to displace the indigenous population of Afrin and impose surrender on the people, but we see the opposite completely, as the resistance of the people in al-Shahba over two continuous years has proven that the people do not accept surrender, and they are increasing resistance and struggle towards the crimes of Turkish aggression, and they have become more coherent and devoted to the Democratic nation project.

The people have come to the full conviction that what must be done during this period of steadfastness is to expose Erdogan's policy in front of the entire world, to realize Erdogan's expansionist policy, and this is what caused Erdogan to fear the Kurdish people, along with fear of the spread of his democratic project in the world, and this is what makes him It recklessly interferes in the affairs of the entire Middle East.

Idlib and Afrin, which were occupied by Turkey, are integral parts of Syria, and for the liberation of Idlib, the regime started a war against it. In your opinion, and for the liberation of Afrin, why does the Syrian regime not try? What is the role and responsibility of the Syrian regime towards the people of Afrin?

From what is happening in Idlib, with no interference in the occupied Afrin, we are fully aware that the Afrin district was one of Astana's outputs, and was also in the midst of the barter policy, as Afrin is opposite to al-Ghouta, and for this there is no interference yet in the issue of occupied Afrin.

- In order to liberate Afrin, was there any contact between you and the Syrian regime?

As for diplomatic work, and the demands of returning to Afrin are liberated, it is considered one of our priorities and strategies as a Democratic Autonomous Administration DAA in the Afrin region.  Afrin has the first place in the diplomatic meetings conducted by the Democratic Autonomous Administration DAA in northeastern Syria.

- Two years after the Turkish occupation of Afrin canton Turkey committed crimes of kidnapping, killing, looting and destruction of nature and antiquities, and stealing them, and it is continuing in all its forms. In your opinion, through these violations, what is the aim of the Turkish state?

At the beginning of our conversation, we mentioned that one of the products of the resistance achieved by the people is exposing the reality of Erdogan's occupation policy, and Turkey always considers that the existence of the democratic project near it is a threat to its national security, so the question is directed to Turkey, where is the national security of Syria?

Turkey wants to cover up its internal collapse, and its failure in most aspects within the Turkish interior, and there is a clear internal failure within the Turkish state.

- Two years have passed since the displacement of the people of Afrin to al-Shahba, what are the difficulties you face?

The conditions of living in displacement are not easy, amid the limited capabilities in al-Shahba, and all this is within the framework of the severe siege that we suffer in the region, besides always targeting by the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries by indiscriminate shelling, almost daily with missiles.

- In 2019, al-Shahba, and especially Tal Rifaat, was the focus of the Turkish attacks often. The Turkish state planned to displace the people of Afrin from al-Shahba, what do you want the Turkish state?

They always try to expand as much as possible, and history testifies that they built their Ottoman empire on the toil of other peoples, and in this century they want to repeat that, by building a new empire in the Erdogan era to cover what they suffer internally, and certainly from their goals to displace the people of Afrin from al-Shahba also by indiscriminately bombing, and targeting the region but the reaction of the people in Afrin, and the people of al-Shahba, is completely different from the Turkish goals, and they are holding out until returning to Afrin, and their resistance alongside Afrin is evidence of their determination to liberate Afrin.

The massacre of Tal Rifaat was not the first committed by the Turkish occupation, as its aim is to be ready to do anything to consolidate its aggressive and occupying policy in the region.

From now on, what will your struggle be in the face of the Turkish occupation?

The people in al-Shahba are resisting, and we will escalate the pace of our struggle and resistance, as the people can no longer tolerate more military interventions, by the parties involved in the Syrian issue, and in the forefront of them

(T/S)

ANHA

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/spz5qU5atPE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>