HESNA MIHEMED

Shahba- The Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions launched an operation against Afrin on January 20, 2018. The people of Afrin, especially women, resisted the attacks of the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions for 58 days, known as ‘The Resistance of the Age'. The mothers of Afrin, together with their children, defended their hometown, villages, streets and neighborhoods. NuJINHA spoke to some of these mothers.

‘We were subjected to very heavy attacks’

Fatima Hisên Reşo took up arms to defend Afrin’s Rajo town along with fighters. “The Turkish state was waging an intense war against Afrin. As mothers, we took up arms to fight the occupation along with our children. Our children were fighting on the front line while we were defending our lands, villages and neighborhoods. We defended our people because our lands are more valuable than our lives. We will never regret what we did. We resisted Turkish jets for 58 days. We had to leave our hometown because we were subjected to very heavy attacks. We will resist until we return to Afrin.”

‘We defended our village’

Sahîle Henan Birîm is from Afrin’s Qibar village. “The Turkish state waged a brutal war in Afrin,” she said. “We defended our village along with our children. We resisted for 58 days. Now, we resist in Shahba and we will keep resisting until we return to Afrin. We struggle for an honorable life. We will liberate Afrin from the Turkish state.”

 ‘The moment when we left Afrin was a painful moment’

Emîna Aslan Mihemed defended Afrin along with the fighters. “Erdoğan attacked Afrin by using the heaviest weapons and banned weapons. Although we faced many challenges and sufferings, we kept resisting the attacks. We defended our lands at checkpoints along with the fighters. In Afrin, women took up arms and defended their neighborhoods and streets. The moment when we left Afrin was a painful moment for us. But we will turn this pain into happiness and liberate Afrin.”