HÊVÎDAR ŞENGALÎ

Shengal (Sinjar)- Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), jihadist group in Syria,took control of Aleppo and Damascus on December 8, 2024, paving the way for the Turkish state and Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) to intensify their attacks on North and East Syria on December 27, 2024. The attacks of the Turkish state and the SNA have forcibly displaced thousands from Shahba and Til Rıfat (Tell Rifaat). According to local reports, people living in Shahba and Til Rıfat have been subjected to many war crimes such as killing, rape and torture.

NuJINHA spoke to women of Shengal, who were subjected to genocidal attacks by ISIS in 2014, about the ongoing attacks on Rojava (North and East Syria). “The sufferings of the people of Afrin and Shengal are the same,” they said, condemning the ongoing attacks on Rojava.

‘We must stand by the people of Rojava’

“The people of Shengal are the ones who know what the people of Afrin have faced,” said Zozan Simo, member of the Yazidi Free Women's Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Azadiya Jinên Êzîdî-TAJÊ). “The genocide against us was painful for us. The people of Rojava, especially Afrin and Shahba, have suffered from the same pain. Those who attacked and the people of Afrin have the same mentality. ISIS attacked Shengal and the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions attacked Afrin. The people of Afrin have been displaced twice in winter. A month has already passed since the start of the attacks on Rojava. As the people of Shengal, we must stand by the people of Rojava against the attacks.”

‘Rojava gives us the strength’

Zozan Simo heartily saluted the resistance of the people of Rojava and said, “Many Yazidis survived from the genocide because the doors of Rojava were opened to the people of Shengal. The people of Rojava built camps and opened the doors of their schools and homes for us. They provided food and water to us, our children. Thanks to the thoughts of leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan), the people of Rojava have shown great resistance against the attacks. The resistance in Rojava gives us the strength to build a free life.”

‘We stand with the people of Afrin’

Pakîze Celal, member of the Council of Martyrs Families in Shengal, also expressed her support to the people of Rojava. “The people of Shengal and Afrin suffered from the same thing. During the genocide against us, our daughters were abducted; our people were killed and buried in mass graves. We faced inhuman practices. ISIS attacked us in summer and many people died of thirst. The people of Afrin were forcibly displaced in winter without food and water in freezing temperatures. We understand what the people of Afrin face and stand with them.”

‘The resistance of the people will prevail’

The resistance of the people in Rojava will prevail, said Pakîze Celal. “I hope everyone will return to their homeland and have a free life. I hope that what happened to Saddam and Assad will happen to Erdoğan in a short time. Thousands of people have been martyred while fighting for the people of Rojava and the people of Rojava will resist under all circumstances. The Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions target the civilian infrastructure in the region to depopulate Rojava. Everyone resists in Rojava and the resistance of the people will prevail. The mothers of Rojava always stand with the fighters. Therefore, they will definitely prevail.”