The General Command of the Women's Protection Units YPJ issued a statement to the public opinion regarding the martyrdom of the female leaders of the Women's Protection Units YPJ and the Syrian Democratic Forces SDF, Jiyan Tolhildan, Roj Xabûr, Barîn Botan, who were targeted by a Turkish drone on the road to Qamishlo city on July 22.
The statement stated:
The fascist regime Erdogan and its ally ISIS/ Daesh and its spy who is hostile to the Rojava revolution and its pioneering women founders are seeking to make the project of extermination that it adopts a success and to eliminate women through the daily attacks it launches. By targeting the revolution, it seeks to eliminate the power of women who lead the Kurdish freedom struggle. Although these attacks take place before the eyes of the coalition forces and the Russian forces in the region, these forces turn a blind eye to them and do not show any reaction to them, and that is why we say that the forces that turn a blind eye to these attacks and ignore them are responsible and partner in them as much as the forces that launch them.
It continued: "On the 22nd of this July, the Turkish occupation state targeted a car on the Qamishlo road with a drone, which resulted in the martyrdom of the leader of the Women's Protection Units YPJ and the Syrian Democratic Forces SDF, Jiyan Tolhildan, who was at the same time the commander-in-chief of the anti-terror units, the leader Roj Xabûr and our comrade Barîn Botan the member of the Terrorism Protection Units while leaving Qamishlo after participating in the forum that was held in it on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the revolution. We offer deepest our condolences to the entire Kurdish people and the components of north and east Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces for the martyrdom of our leaders and comrades. We promise revenge for our martyrs by defending and strengthening the revolution, and eliminating the Turkish occupation state and ISIS/Daesh mercenaries and ensuring the liberation of Rojava and north and east Syria.
The statement continued by talking about the struggle of women leaders during the revolution and their impact on the struggle and will of women:
"The commander of the anti-terror units, Jiyan Tolhildan, whose real name is Salwa Yousef, witnessed all the difficulties and moments of the revolution, and worked since the beginning of the revolution to organize the people, form YXG, mobilize the Women's Protection Units, and the tasks of the anti-terror units with great effort and dedication. A revolution for women and it gained wide response and became a hope for the freedom of all women and humanity as a whole. This revolution has reached its tenth year today with the efforts of these comrades and leaders. The strength and will of the leadership “Jiyan” has created the belief in the free life of all women and society as a whole. Women and youth of all components have secured in Rojava and North and east Syria and from the whole world with this revolution and they flocked to Rojava. The leader, Jiyan Tolhildan, with her passion for free life and the Rojava revolution has great knowledge and experience, and she has trained thousands of fighters with her knowledge and experience, and these fighters today will strengthen the legacy of the struggle that she left for them and guarantee the free homeland. In all campaigns to liberate Rojava, north and east Syria, in the spirit of resistance for free women, the commander, Jiyan, in Serêkaniyê/ Ras al-Ain in 2013, fought against ISIS/Daesh mercenaries who were a nightmare for all of humanity, and against the mercenaries of Jabhat al-Nusra in Sheikh Maqsoud, al-Shaddadi, Manbij and Deir ez-Zor from front to front and participated against ISIS with the coalition in all liberation campaigns. The struggle of the commander Jiyan Tolhidan became the hope of a free life for all mankind.
Comrade and leader Roj, real name Joanna Hasso, grew up in a patriotic family in Ad-Darbasiyah. She became experience within a short time of her involvement in the ranks of the revolution and became a philosophy of women's freedom; A revolutionary woman with will and power. She followed this approach and philosophy of women's freedom until the last moment, and she carried out her revolutionary and patriotic tasks responsibly. She spent every moment of her life in the struggle for the free homeland. And participated with the coalition forces in the campaigns to liberate from ISIS/Daesh. Humanity was saved from ISIS/ Daesh under the leadership and courage of comrade and commander Jiyan and Roj.
Comrade Barîn Botan, real name, Raha Bashar, who grew up in a patriotic family in Afrin was affected by the Rojava revolution in her search for freedom when she was young. She joined the ranks of the Women's Protection Units. Our comrade Barin lived with great anger and hatred towards the occupying Turkish state, and she struggled with great determination to defeat the occupation.
The General Command of the Women's Protection Units YPJ said that the popular revolution was established in north and east Syria with great efforts and sacrifices from the martyred comrades and on the basis of women's freedom, and it became the hope of freedom for all women of free societies. Defending the revolution and ensuring the freedom of Rojava, north and east Syria, is our main job in the People's Protection Units and our promise to our leaders.
YPJ General Command concluded the statement by emphasizing revenge and calling on women in north and east Syria to join the struggle: “Once again we offer deepest our condolences to the entire Kurdish people, the People’s Protection Units YPG and the Syrian Democratic Forces SDF. We will avenge our comrades from the Turkish occupation forces and its spies, and this attack will not be able to make us retreat in any way. Rather, it will strengthen our hatred and malice toward the Turkish state even more. At this stage in which our revolution and its leaders are the target of genocidal attacks, we say to all the women of north and east Syria, join the ranks of the struggle."
T/S
ANHA
