News Center – On February 15, 1999, the Kurdish cause witnessed a pivotal event represented by the arrest of Leader Abdullah Öcalan following a complex international operation that ended with his abduction from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, and his transfer to Turkey. This arrest was considered part of a broader conspiracy targeting the Kurds and their rights.

As the 27th anniversary of the international conspiracy against Leader Abdullah Öcalan on February 15 approaches, the Syrian Initiative for the Freedom of Öcalan issued a statement today, Thursday, February 12, in the city of Qamishlo, in the presence of several of its members.

The statement, which came a day after a meeting between the Imrali delegation and Leader Öcalan, read:

“On February 15, 1999, one of the largest conspiracies against the Kurdish people was carried out by international powers with the aim of causing a historical catastrophe with grave consequences and long-term negative effects. Within the framework of this conspiracy, Leader Abdullah Öcalan was abducted from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, and taken captive. This conspiracy demonstrates that the interests of multiple international powers were implemented at the expense of peoples striving to obtain their rights, freedoms, and justice.”

The statement affirmed that the goal of the international powers behind the conspiracy was to silence the voice of freedom and rights.

“During his 27 years of resistance and steadfast stance, Leader Öcalan has stood side by side with the Kurdish people against the harshest policies of violence, denial, and genocide pursued by forces seeking to erase their identity and freedom. Under inhumane conditions unprecedented in history, he confronted war and destruction with wisdom, foresight, and the ability to accurately assess events. Leader Öcalan has consistently sought a democratic solution, viewing it as the only path to peace, and believed that a shared life among peoples based on equality, justice, and freedom is essential to building the future of the region. Unfortunately, despite these calls for peace, security, and stability, forces of darkness have continued to act according to narrow nationalist, sectarian, and international interests. This path has led to further policies of war, destruction, and genocide against the Kurdish people.”

The statement also indicated that the recent attacks on Rojava are a continuation of the conspiracy against Leader Öcalan: “They seek to crush the Kurdish people’s demands and their dream of freedom. However, the Kurdish people, as always throughout Kurdistan and beyond, have proven that their will is unbreakable. The resistance of the fighters of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) has become a source of inspiration for the peoples of the region and the world. We bow in respect to our heroes who fought for the dignity of the Kurdish people and achieved great victories over injustice. We bow thousands of times in honor of the sacrifices of our martyrs who built the homeland with their pure blood. With faith drawn from Kurdish unity and the resistance of our people, we say that no matter how powerful the major conspiracies against the Kurds may be, they will not break our steadfastness; rather, they will pave the way for a brighter and more successful future. We will make 2026 the year of freedom—the year of Leader Öcalan’s freedom and the freedom of the Kurdish people everywhere.”