Speaking to ANF, YPJ (Women's Defense Units) Aleppo fighters Avesta, Nuda and Mitra condemned the February 15 conspiracy against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, and emphasized that women adopted Öcalan's philosophy and defeated the conspiracy.

YPJ fighter Avesta stated that as the war in Syria is about to enter its seventh year, international and regional powers terrorized the peoples' uprisings that had begun in 2011. Avesta remarked that the terrorization of peoples' uprisings led to an intense war, and Aleppo and Sheikh Maqsoud were among the centers of this battle.

"YPJ LED BOTH THE BATTLE AND THE SOCIETY"

Avesta said "Especially after 2012, we got more organized in order to defend our peoples effectively. We were attacked extensively during our process of organization. We established Peoples' Defense Units (YPG/YPJ) and assumed the duty of defense alongside our peoples. We defended Sheikh Maqshoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods and mostly kept the fighting away from this area.

When the rest of Aleppo became unlievable, Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods became safe havens for the people of Aleppo fleeing the war. Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah became the center of an alternative life."

Avesta emphasized that the YPJ led both the battle and the society not only in Aleppo but also in Kobanê, Efrîn and Cizir cantons, remarking that this was because of the mission women and history had given to the YPJ.

Avesta continued: "Because first and foremost, we are women. We are the defense force of women. We have the historical duty and responsibility that women have entrusted us. It is YPJ's primary duty to protect oppressed women and women's identity no matter where. YPJ's main goal is not just to end the SNC gangs' oppression of women but to liberate women entirely." She emphasized that women adopted Öcalan's philosophy and are marching towards victory with great resolve.

“NO SINGLE STEP TAKEN BACKWARDS”

YPJ fighter Mitra underlined that peoples took no step backwards from their determination, courage and resistance despite the all the siege, embargo and attacks against Sheikh Maqsoud, and told the reasons why gangs could not get the results they wanted in Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in the following way:

“Our people, young and old alike, came together under the roof of YPG/YPJ and fought a relentless battle against the gangs. Even though Sheikh Maqsoud is geographically small and narrow, it is located on a higher location compared to other neighborhoods. It was a key point of the war in Aleppo and Syria.

When SNC gangs first occupied the area, they enforced their so-called Islamic laws upon the people through force, oppression and torture. They made people accept these laws by use of force but they still could not get the results they desired in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah. They could not occupy Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah. We did not let them. Especially in last year's February, they carried out the most intense attacks of the past 6 years. They wanted to occupy Sheikh Maqsoud and get rid of the Kurds here. We chose resistance, not surrender, and we won."

“THEY DO NOT WANT THE PHILOSOPHY OF DEMOCRATIC NATION TO COME TO LIFE”

Another YPJ fighter, Nuda described Aleppo as a mosaic of peoples, stressing that many international and regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey do not want the philosophy of democratic nation to come to life here.

Nuda said "The war taking place in Rojava and Syria is by no means a war of the peoples; it is the war of colonialist states fighting for power in the Middle East. Today, the US, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey are waging the war in Syria. These powers want to enhance their colonialism and power in the region. Rojava Revolution and the righteous struggle of the Rojava people have foiled the plans that these forces develop and update every time in order to reach their goals."

Nuda emphasized that the Turkish state was after dirty plans, and pointed to the probability of Turkey updating these plans and putting them into practice once again. She recalled that the Turkish state does not want the unification of Efrin and Kobanê cantons, and has been trying to expand its occupation of Jarablus and Al Rai to the entire Shehba region.

Nuda noted that the international conspiracy against Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan took place as result of a dirty alliance of many states in defiance of moral and humane principles, and continued: "Öcalan is facing an aggravated isolation in İmralı prison. This isolation aims to break the will of Kurdistan peoples and to impose slavery upon them. The conspiracy also aims to end the Middle East's struggle for democracy, and to inflict a blow on the social circles that fight for their values, social morality, and the nations' right to self-determination. Today, peoples all around the world are demanding freedom for Öcalan. The philosophy of Democratic Nation and the Rojava Revolution, which developed in the light of Öcalan's ideas, have prevailed today. YPJ played an important role in this victory. As the YPJ, we will enhance our struggle and ensure the freedom of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. We will achieve this eventually."