YRJ condemns Turkish attacks on journalists and pledges to defend truth

Today, the Women's Media Union issued a statement to the public, condemning the Turkish occupation's attacks on North and East Syria, particularly on the Tishrin Dam. The statement read:

"The people of North and East Syria continue to resist the brutality of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries under the most difficult conditions, with a spirit of general mobilization at the Tishrin Dam since January 8. Many journalists have also traveled to the dam to document this historic resistance and expose these brutal attacks to the global public.

The vicinity of the Tishrin Dam has witnessed fierce battles for a long time. The Turkish occupation continues its attacks using inhumane methods, blatantly violating international norms and laws, committing war crimes against the people. It directly targets the land, country, existence, and values of the communities in North and East Syria. The occupation aims to destroy all resources and infrastructure of the people in the region, along with those who live there.

These attacks are met with tremendous resistance from the people of North and East Syria, who maintain their vigil at the Tishrin Dam to defend their values. Journalists Nazim Dashtan n and Cîhan Bîlgîn were deliberately targeted while monitoring the situation in the region to document the resistance and expose war crimes. They were martyred in a drone strike by the Turkish occupation on December 19. Since that day, attacks on civilians and journalists have continued without interruption.

Most recently, on January 16, in the afternoon, journalists covering the people's activities at the Tishrin Dam alongside local residents were again targeted by Turkish warplanes. The attack injured dozens, including three of our journalist colleagues, and resulted in the martyrdom of a civilian.

Among the injured were Ronahî TV correspondent Leyla Abdi, journalist Hêvda Hebûn, and media worker Djewar Ali Sher.

The international community continues to ignore the attacks carried out by the Turkish occupation in North and East Syria, allowing them to escalate further. A firm stance must be taken against these attacks, which constitute blatant violations of international law, the United Nations Charter, and the Geneva Conventions.

The brutal Turkish occupation does not recognize any laws or human rights. Journalists are threatened and killed through cruel and inhumane means, all in plain view of the world.

As the Women's Media Union, we strongly condemn these attacks and reaffirm that we will never retreat or waver in our commitment to conveying the truth, regardless of the threats. We will continue our struggle alongside our people and women to deliver the truth and defend the people's legitimate cause.

We will follow in the footsteps of our fallen comrades and pursue the path of truth as journalists by strengthening the struggle. In this spirit, we honor all our colleagues who have been martyred in the pursuit of truth and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.

We call on Kurdish, regional, and international media organizations and institutions to break their silence regarding these brutal practices and systematic war crimes committed against our journalist colleagues. A firm stance must be taken against the Turkish state and its mercenaries."

A-H

ANHA