DILUCAN BOZİ

Kobanî – Every day, dozens of women become the victims of rape, harassment, femicide, and violence. The inhumane practices against women try to break women’s will and weaken their power in society.   In the meanwhile, sovereign powers try to impose their power by threatening women. Women face such situations in every region; one of these regions is North-East Syria, where attacks against women are intense.

“Methods violate the rules international law”

We spoke to Firyaz Berkel, the chair of the Women's Committee in the Euphrates Region, about the situation of women in Afrin and Turkey's attack policies against Afrin. Afrin has been occupied by Turkey for nearly three years; Firyaz Berkel said that Turkish troops have been present in Syrian territory since 2016 and occupied Bab, Ezaz, Jarabulus, and Afrin provinces in 2018. “Turkish state targets the Kurds the most in Afrin. The methods used against the Kurds are inhuman and violate the rules of international law.”

“Women suffer the most”

Hundreds of families in Afrin were forcibly displaced from their lands. “Women suffer the most in this war. They are forcibly displaced and subjected to rape by Turkish soldiers and the members of Turkey-backed groups. The members of Firqet El-Hemzat abduct women and put them in prisons. They torture, rape, and kill women,” Firyaz Berkel told NuJINHA. Talking about the change of the demographic structure of Afrin, Berkel said, “The demographic structure of Afrin has been changed. The members of this group destroyed the graves. What is happening in Afrin now is inhumane practices.”

“Prisoners in Afrin went on a hunger strike”

“Turkish state couldn’t have occupied Afrin if other states hadn’t supported it,” Firyaz Berkel said, “Turkish state used white phosphorus and chemical weapons but other states remained silent. That’s why the Turkish state continues to attack. The prisoners in Afrin went on a hunger strike to make the Turkish invasion heard all around the world. The prisoners need medicines and doctors but the Turkish state doesn’t allow the prisoners to have medicines and doctors. The Turkish state has no morals.”

“Women in Afrin face practices used by ISIS”

Stating that women living in Afrin face inhuman practices used by ISIS, Firyaz Berkel said, “If human rights and laws had been implemented and what was done hadn’t been tolerated, the Turkish state would not be able to occupy even an inch of our land. The Turkish state first occupied Bab, Ezaz, Jarabulus. But what they didn’t practice what they did against women in Afrin, Girê Spî and Serêkaniyê in these cities. This situation shows the hostility of the Turkish state towards women living in the Autonomous Administration. Special and psychological war is carried out against women in Afrin. Undoubtedly, the Turkish state threatens other regions as well. The Turkish state bombed two civilian vehicles by using an unmanned aerial vehicle. The Turkish state tries to break stability in the region.”

“We will respond to all forms of attack”

Pointing out that women are targeted and killed in this dirty war, Firyaz Berkel said, “As the Women's Committee, we will help as much as we can to save women from this situation. We will respond to all forms of attack.”