BAHARAN LEHIB

Takhar-In statements and messages, women all around the world express their solidarity with the women resisting the attacks of the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions on North and East Syria.

In an interview with NuJINHA, Shahla Shahbaz, an Afghan women’s rights activist in Afghanistan’s Takhar province, condemned the ongoing attacks of the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions in North and East Syria, calling on all women to unite.

‘The people of my country have faced the crimes committed in other countries today’

Speaking about the massacres committed by armed factions in North and East Syria, she said, “The Turkish state and its armed factions have kept attacking Rojava, killing many civilians, including women and children. What is going on in Rojava is very painful for me because I have been suffering from the same pain in my country for 40 years. Many women and children have been killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. The people of my country have faced the crimes being committed in other Middle Eastern countries today and they still face them. People face crimes against humanity such as massacres, rapes and rights violations. As Afghan women, we know such crimes because we have witnessed all these crimes for 40 years.”

 ‘The Middle Eastern women must unite’

Calling for a joint struggle, Shahla Shahbaz said, “As women of the Middle East, we must unite. We must take up arms and fight against the occupation, like the people of Kobanê and Rojava. Otherwise, we will witness new crimes and betrayals in neighboring countries every day. We must raise our voices and fight to win. Women must be aware that the only way to break the chains of oppressors is to fight for justice, rights and freedom.”