RONÎDA HACÎ

Hasakah- Since the fall of the Assad regime, the hope of people for building a new Syria has been overshadowed by the intensified attacks of the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions on North and East Syria. Despite the ongoing clashes around the Tishreen Dam, the people of the region are determined to protect the dam and support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Since January 8, the people coming from different cities of North and East Syria have been holding a vigil on the dam to protest the ongoing attacks. The Turkish attacks targeting civilians holding the vigil on the dam have killed 16 people and injured more than 90 people.

NuJINHA spoke to Beşîra Cemal Dîn, Co-chair of the Union of Lawyers in North and East Syria, about the ongoing attacks on the region.

‘The Turkish state deepens the crisis’

“The fall of the Asad regime gave hope to the people in the region,” Beşîra Cemal Dîn told us. “We thought that the war would end and we would build a Syria based on democracy and equality. However, the Turkish state has intensified its attacks on North and East Syria. These attacks pose a threat to peace and security of the region. Everyone knows that the Baathist regime was overthrown at the end of 2024. This situation built up the hopes of Syrian people. However, the Turkish state has further intensified its attacks on North and East Syria. The presence of the Turkish state in Syrian territory is unacceptable. As the people of Syria, we want to resolve the Syrian crisis through political means and dialogue with HTS (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham), which currently controls Damascus. The presence of the Turkish state in Syria has deepened the crisis.”

 ‘It aims to commit a genocide against the Kurdish people’

Beşîra Cemal Dîn thinks that the aim of the ongoing Turkish attacks is to commit a genocide against the Kurdish people. “The occupying Turkish state aims to annihilate the Kurdish people. The Turkish state has violated international conventions by attacking the region. It must immediately withdraw its troops and armed groups from the region and leave Syria.”

‘Civilians are killed on the Tishreen Dam’

Beşîra Cemal Dîn also commented on the ongoing Turkish attacks on the Tishreen Dam. “A historic resistance has been waged on the Tishreen Dam. The people of the region are determined to support their fighters; however, the Turkish state targets and kills civilians by openly attacking them. These attacks have been documented. We call on the relevant international organizations to urgently hold the Turkish state accountable for its crimes against civilians in North and East Syria. Remaining silent against these attacks is a shame. In order to hold the Turkish state accountable for its war crimes, people all around the world must rise up and raise their voice against the attacks.”