AANES: Afrin is the case that is strongly present in all our endeavors

Today, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria issued a written statement on the fifth anniversary of the occupation attack launched by the Turkish occupation state on Afrin Canton on January 20, 2018.

The statement reads: "On the twentieth of January, the fifth anniversary of the Turkish attack on Afrin passes; this attack in which the democratic project was targeted, as well as the beginning of a clear Turkish start to occupy Syria in an effort to revive its alleged historical role, Afrin was attacked in a clear deal, and unfortunately those deals are still going on until now, which confirms that talking about serving the Syrian people in parallel with the practice of occupation, support mercenaries and terrorists, and demographic change indicates the extent of the "lie" practiced by Turkey and those with it.

All this indicates directly that there is a deliberate aggravation of the crisis in Syria, especially in light of the continuation of these powers to talk about other deals, which will absolutely be at the expense of the Syrian people, and therefore they are wrong approaches that the Syrian people cannot believe.

The statement added, "Despite all these developments, the suffering of our people continues, especially the forcibly displaced from their areas, as today marks the fifth anniversary of the Turkish attack on Afrin, as the fascist state expand its occupation in Syria, practice repression and support terrorism, not to mention its endeavor to impede stability and Syrian consensus."

Referring to the reality of the Canton before and after the occupation by saying, "Afrin, which was stable and safe and sheltered thousands of Syrians from other Syrian regions, today and for five years has been under the occupation and terrorists, and the most horrible violations are being practiced, including ethnic and cultural cleansing, and even nature has not spared them, where it faces systematic genocide at all levels, all this in front of the eyes of the world, the United Nations, human rights and humanitarian organizations and institutions."

AANES stressed the necessity of "immediately stopping these practices and ending the occupation, and those responsible for these behaviors must be brought to justice and held accountable for their crimes, while silence increases their insistence on their actions."

AANES expressed its rejection of the Turkish plans in Afrin and other occupied areas, saying: "We in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria are certain that there is no stability or solution in Syria without the liberation of Afrin and the areas occupied by Turkey; in front of talking about deals and plans between parties and forces, replacing the Turkish role in the occupied territories with other roles beyond the will of its people is "unacceptable and we strongly reject it".

On the other hand, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, during its statement, recalled the people resistance in Afrin, saying: "On the fifth anniversary of the Turkish attack on Afrin, we remember the resistance of the people of Afrin and the military forces, and we affirm that today, like all other occupied regions, Afrin represents the "present issue" strongly in all our endeavors, and we affirm that we will continue our struggle until achieving a safe return for its displaced people and returning Afrin as it was for its people."

AANES saluted the resistance of the IDPs from Afrin in the camps in Shahba "We also salute the struggle of our people in Shahba camps and other regions, who continue their historical struggle through their adherence to the option of return and liberation."

Calling on this occasion to all the powers in Syria that "Turkey today, with its occupation of Afrin and our other regions, and its continues threats against our people, is practicing "terrorism in all its names," as silence by these powers is a sure evidence that there are interests against the Syrian people, of which we are a part. Therefore, we affirm on moral commitment at this stage is a historical responsibility in the first place."

AANES concluded its statement, stressing, "We will be committed to our pledge to our people, and we will continue to defend the gains of the revolution and to liberate our occupied regions without retreat, whatever the price."

Sh-S

ANHA