2016 witnessed a high level of resistance and struggle by the Kurdish people and the guerrillas of HPG (People's Defense Forces) and YJA Star (Free Women's Troops).

Speaking to ANF, HPG and YJA Star guerrillas stated that the Turkish state has been defeated by the Kurdish people and Kurdish Freedom Movement despite all its intensified savage attacks, and that 2017 will be the year of freedom for the Kurdish people, Öcalan and the peoples in the Middle East.

“TURKISH STATE EXPERIENCED THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FEAR”

YJA Star guerrilla Mizgin Umut:

2016 was a challenging year for the Kurdish people. The colonialist Turkish state has failed in the face of the guerrilla struggle. The entire year of 2016 witnessed policies of violence against the Kurdish people and aggravated isolation against our Leader. However, guerrilla forces did not leave these fascistic practices of the Turkish state unanswered. The resistance mounted by both guerrillas and the Kurdish people made the Turkish state experience the psychology of fear. The policies of violence against the Kurdish people and leader will not go unanswered during the next year, either. Our actions in response will increase.

HPG guerrilla Alan Malazgirt:

During 2016, the Turkish state aimed to destroy the presence and gains of the Kurdish people, targeting the Kurdish cities and people with a so-called 'Collapse Plan'.

The Turkish state started its attacks against the Kurdish people and Kurdish Freedom Movement on July 24, 2015. Choosing this date was meaningful as July 24 is when the Ottomans launched a genocidal excursion on the Middle East. They wanted to head for the Middle East over the Kurdish people once again, starting from such a date. To this end, they attacked the 'Self-Governance' declared by the Kurdish people under the name of 'Collapse Plan', which was meant to destroy the Kurdish people and their cities. Yet, our Movement has foiled the plans of the Turkish state through the resistance and actions it developed during 2016. And, the Turkish state started to experience the psychology of fear by getting defeated by the resistance mounted by guerrillas and the Kurdish people.

As HPG and YJA Star guerrillas, we will enhance the resistance and struggle during 2017 as well. This will be the year of the freedom of Leader Apo and the Kurdish people. Our goal will be to frustrate the dreams and plans of the Turkish state, and to respond to the genocidal attacks of the Turkish state against our people. Drawing experiences from the points where we had deficiencies, we will crown our struggle with victory in 2017. We will liberate our people and our leader.

"TURKISH STATE DEFEATED AT THE HANDS OF GUERRILLAS"

HPG guerrilla Şevger Tolhildan:

2016 was a year of struggle for our people in four parts of Kurdistan in general, and city battle in Northern Kurdistan in particular. They wanted to annihilate and destroy the Kurdish people over our people living in Northern Kurdistan.

The Turkish state brutally attacked the Kurdish people and cities in order to put them through a genocide, to break and take possession of their will. Of course, the Turkish state faced with the historic resistance of the Kurdish people in response to these attacks. This resistance has frustrated the plans and goals of the Turkish state which couldn't make those resisting take one single step back no matter how savagely they attacked with a multiplied number of forces. Intolerant of the Kurdish people's gains in Rojava, the Turkish state started a brutal onslaught on Rojava after its failure to achieve its desired result in Northern Kurdistan. However, it experienced a defeat despite all its savage attacks.

The Kurdish people have led the freedom demand of the peoples in the Middle East. With the democratic Syrian system they have created in Rojava, the Kurdish people became a beacon of hope for the Middle East peoples. On the other hand, 2016 was the centenary of the Sykes Picot Agreement. The popular rebellions that erupted and progressed in the Middle East with the name of peoples' spring, Syria in the first place, revealed the fact that the nation-state system does not gain acceptance anymore.

The ongoing attacks against the Kurdish people, politicians and cities show that the Turkish state aims to destroy the Kurdish Freedom Movement. It bases its presence on the annihilation of the Kurdish people, and thus develops such savage attacks. Still, 2017 will be different, it will be the year of the freedom of our Leader and people.

"THE CONCEPT AIMING KURDISH ANNIHILATION DEFEATED"

HPG guerrilla Rodi Roj:

A concept aiming the annihilation of the Kurdish people was prepared in 2016. Yet, this concept has been defeated by the Kurdish Freedom Movement. 2016 was a challenging year, while it on the other had witnessed an achievement of gains by our side. For sure, these gains were attacked by fascist forces and their allies in a savage manner. These attacks were met with resistance in Shengal, Rojava and Northern Kurdistan. This concept aiming a Kurdish annihilation was defeated by the resistance of Kurdish freedom guerrillas and the Kurdish people. This struggle has shaken the enemy and made them experience the psychology of fear. For this reason, the attacks later targeted Kurdish politicians and civilians.

Peoples will march to freedom through the struggle given by the Kurdish people in the Middle East. There is a Kurdish Spring and Renaissance taking place in the Middle East at the moment, which was sparked by the Kurds. In 2017, this spark will reach victory with the freedom of Leader Apo. The peoples' fight for freedom and democracy will triumph over all the theocratic, oligarchic and pro-nation-state mindsets. This will be the year of co-existence of folks. The century-year-old fraternal desire of the Persian, Arab, Turkish and Kurdish peoples will burgeon out again in the Middle East. Freedom is near; for our Leader, people and other peoples. 2017 will the year of major struggles.