The SDF calls on the international community to continue pressuring Turkey to halt these attacks and stresses the need for a dialogue-based resolution to the crisis.
Details of the Attacks and SDF Response:
The statement details ongoing Turkish attacks, despite international efforts and a declared ceasefire in Manbij and other areas. It highlights a large-scale assault on the Tishrin Dam on Wednesday, December 18th, which the SDF repelled. The statement also mentions drone strikes on Kobani and the continued Turkish military buildup near the city.
The SDF asserts that they will not stand idly by while their people and territories are attacked. They vow that Kobani will not fall under Turkish control and pledge to resist with all their might, alongside the people of Kobani. The statement describes the resistance as a fight for a major victory, highlighting the heroic efforts of SDF fighters and civilians near Qaraqozak and the Tishrin Dam.
The SDF encourages Kobani's citizens to take up arms and join the fight, promising to transform every village and corner of the city into a bastion of resistance. The statement emphasizes that resistance is the only path to victory and freedom. It assures the people of Kobani and all of northern and eastern Syria that they are not alone, and that the world is watching their heroic struggle.
Call for International Action and Regional Solidarity:
The SDF reaffirms its support for the Aqaba summit's decision to cease military operations in Syria and expresses gratitude for the efforts of its allies in the international coalition to de-escalate tensions. The statement urges all countries involved in the Syrian crisis to condemn and halt the Turkish attacks and associated militia actions. It also calls on Arab countries and peoples to recognize Turkey as the greatest threat to Syria's unity and territorial integrity, highlighting Turkey's attempts to seize more Syrian land under false pretenses. Finally, the SDF urges all those who value Syria's unity and territorial integrity to publicly condemn these attacks.