Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) Executive Committee Member Murat Karayılan issued the following message on the liberation of Raqqa:

“We congratulate the peoples of Syria, the peoples of Kurdistan and the whole of humanity on the liberation of Raqqa. When Kobanê was invaded by ISIS gangs, it was liberated through a great resistance that lasted 4.5 months. Now, 2 years later, Raqqa which was declared as the capital by the ISIS gangs and was the city where they implemented the most cruelty was liberated with a 4.5-month long operation.

Liberating the capital of the ISIS gangs, who terrorized the world and posed a great danger for all humanity, is a great accomplishment. In the name of my party PKK’s Executive Committee I congratulate the YPG, YPJ and SDF commanders and fighters who waged this great war with high military performance in an extensive operation. Our party administration appreciates this victory and salutes all who had a part in it.

We commemorate all the martyrs who lost their lives in this great war. Those who fell martyr in this war for humanity are the martyrs of the cause for humanity. They are also our martyrs. Their memory will be kept alive by increasing the struggle for freedom. With the heroism and sacrifice of these martyrs, the peoples of Kurdistan, the Arab people, other peoples of the region and the whole of humanity achieved many gains. First of all, humanity has been rid of a great trouble. We know that many international individuals came and joined this fight, and they were martyred. I especially commemorate all international martyrs.

It is clear that international fighters and international forces had a contribution to this war. But the ones who put their mark on this glorious victory has been the heroes who, despite all traps, fought face to face and chased ISIS gang from every street with a sacrifice spirit and great courage. That is why this heroic sacrifice they made for all of humanity is applaudable in every way. It is a great example of humanity and respectability. Waging this struggle for the cause of humanity with loyalty to the freedom of peoples and democracy is great devotion. That is why we salute all commanders and fighters in the YPG, YPJ and SDF, who smashed the legend of ISIS attempted to be created in the beginning, with all our revolutionary enthusiasm and wish them well for the future. We salute all who had a part in this fight. This victory has created the foundation to resolve all issues with dialogue and democratic methods on the basis of the freedom of Syrian peoples and the fraternity of all the peoples of the region, the Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs and others.

The great sacrifice, heroism and fraternity displayed in Raqqa constituted a striking example for the democratic nation approach. Kurdish, Arab and Syriac young men and women shed their blood for a joint cause, and with this the building of a democratic and free life on the basis of fraternity of peoples and mutual respect with the perspective of the Democratic Nation has become much more probable. My hope is that all sides in Syria will come together and launch a new process in Syria and Rojava Kurdistan.

We as the PKK believe that all the issues in the region, and Syria in particular, will be resolved through dialogue and discussion with the perspective of the Democratic Nation. We hope that this neo-democratic understanding of nation building that was displayed in Shaddadi, Manbij, Tabqa and most recently in Raqqa will be an example for the resolution of the region’s issues. In this sense, we believe the liberation of Raqqa could be the start of important developments not just limited to Raqqa but encompasses the whole of Syria and expands into the region. We believe that the peoples’ struggle for freedom on the path of a Democratic Confederal Middle East will gain much more acceleration, and on this basis salute the freedom fighters of Raqqa once more with respect and love, and wish them great success in their future struggles in the name of our party.”