Report from the Kurd frontline: multiple attacks by Turkey; statement by YPJ commander

From the city of Shengal (captured by Kurds and Yezidis just over a week back) here is a statement (Part A) from the YPJ-Shengal commander Dersîm Şengalî, as well as statements (Part B) from Yezidi women participating in the fight against ISIS. In Part C we also provide an update from the frontline: attacks on ISIS by the Kurds, but also continued attacks, day-by-day, by the Turkish army against the YPJ/YPG (Kurds)…

Daesh (ISIS) gangs invaded Shengal on August 3, 2014 and killed many Yezidis and raped many women. Shengal’s women had to run away and some of them went to Rojava and North Kurdistan, but others had to flee to the mountains in Shengal. These women helped established YPJ to fight against Daesh. They started to struggle against Daesh. On November 13, 2015, Shengal was liberated by the struggle of YPJ.

A. Statement from YPJ commander:

Commander Dersîm (pictured above) said, “We were running from Daesh gangs last year but we made our self-defence stronger – and now they are running from us”.

Dersîm on Daesh: “The women were captured by Daesh and they were taken as contraband of war one year ago. The Yezidi women are still sold today. Many women have been taken captive and they undergo great violence. That is a shame for humanity. We promise from the bottom of our heart that we will save all Yezidi women who were captured and we will support all women, no matter where in the world; we will struggle against the violence suffered by women.”

Dersîm on violence gainst women: “The violence against women is everywhere. The girls are marginalized, even in their families. There is inequality between boys and girls in the families. The girls have grown up with the psychology of oppression. Our fundamental duty is to struggle against that.”

B. Statements by Yezidi women:

Meanwhile… Some of the women who had to move from Shengal to Batman (a city in the southeast of Turkey) because of the attacks of Daesh commented on the liberation of Shengal. They said that the YPG (the Men’s Defence Forces) and the YPJ (the Women’s Defence Forces) have been with them since Daesh started to attack them and that they are learning the struggle from them.

One Yezidi woman, Wense Xelef, age 25, said,”We never want to leave Shengal and we won’t. Shengal is the most beautiful country in the world and we want to go back there. We, as Yezidis, want the YBŞ [Shengal Resistance Unit] to become even stronger.”

Another Yezidi woman, Rabha Naif, age 20, said, “I am sending my endless thanks to the PKK for liberating Shengal. As Yezidis, we have been massacred 73 times and we won’t be massacred 74 times. Yezidi people have been defeated, but they (Daesh) will never succeed in that”

“We are learning many things from YPG/YPJ. We learned how women can fight against their enemies,” said Tırkan Êzidî, age 24. “YPG and YPJ came to save us on the mountains. We want to join them. They liberated Shengal and we know they will save Yezidi women from Daesh. We trust them.”

C. From the frontline:

YPG has reported ongoing attacks by ISIS gangs against villages near the Euphrates and by the Turkish army against Kurds in Girê Spî and Kobanê.

According to a written statement by YPG Press Office, a mortar attack launched by ISIS gangs from south Jarablus targeted the Boraz village to the southwest Kobanê at 12:30 on 19 November. Two civilians, including a child, lost their lives and one other was wounded as a result of the terrorist attack. ISIS gangs also launched a mortar attack against Rahva village in Ayn Îsa town, Kobanê, between 13:00-14:00 on the afternoon of 19 November.

YPG forces launched an operation against ISIS gangs deployed in the Qereqozax area, to the southwest of Kobanê, between 09.00 and 10.00 on 19 November, during which one ISIS member was killed.

ISIS gangs carried out another mortar attack from their positions in south Jarablus, which targeted the Qereqozax village and its surroundings between 07.30-08.00 and 13:00-14:30 of 20 November. ISIS groups also conducted a mortar attack against Boraz village to the southwest of Kobanê town at 14:00 on 20 November.

Meanwhile, the Turkish army attacks continue against the YPG and YPJ positions near the border in Kobanê region. YPG Press Office reported that Turkish troops patrolling the border near Silipqiran village, to the west of Girê Spî, launched an attack on the YPJ/YPG with A4 heavy weaponry on 19 November. Turkish troops also targeted YPJ/YPG at the Zeytuna position and Tal Findir village to the west of Girê Spî with A4 heavy weaponry at 04:35 of 20 November. The Zeytuna position was once again attacked by the Turkish military with A4 heavy weaponry at 20:30 and 21:30 the same day. Tal Findir and the wheat silos (sawama) in the village were also hit by the Turkish army with A4 heavy weaponry at 21.00 and 22.00 yesterday (20 November).