Against the military operation launched by the Turkish state in the Gare region of Southern Kurdistan on the morning of February 10, the international campaign RiseUp4Rojava and the Internationalist Commune of Rojava call for immediate action in a joint statement which emphasizes that; “There is no difference between the occupation of Efrin, the occupation of Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî, a new operation against Rojava or Şengal, or the occupation of Gare. The attack on Gare-mountains aims at the heart of the revolution and the anti-fascist resistance in the region.”

Their call for action includes the following:

“In the morning hours of 10th February, the Turkish fascist state has launched a new invasion to occupy new parts of Southern Kurdistan.

Accompanied by hours of heavy non-stop airstrikes and air surveillance the Turkish occupation army started to drop ground forces with helicopters in the Gare-region, which is part of the guerilla controlled Medya Defense Zones. It was just a matter of time, and largely expected, that a new operation of this kind would start in these days, but it was unclear until now if they start attacking Şengal directly, if they try for a new invasion into Rojava, especially in the Dêrik border region, or if they start with a continuation of the so-called “Operation Claw-Eagle” that took place last year in the Heftanîn region.

The last months, especially after the partial victory of the guerilla in Heftanîn, were used by the Turkish state to prepare for their next major move. On the one hand, the Hewlêr-Bagdad treaty against the Autonomous Administration of Şengal was implemented and partially realized, and on the other hand, the private army of KDP/Barzani, the Gulan forces and the Roj-Peşmerga were used to fortify the border with Rojava and to encircle the guerilla regions by installing checkpoints and garrisons inside and around the Medya Defense Zones. Especially the Gare-region, which is now the scene of heavy clashes between the fascists and the resisting guerilla, was invaded and encircled by the KDP forces. The major goal for the Turkish state was to

provoke a war between KDP and PKK-guerrillas, which would have caused more division and troubles inside Kurdish society. Because this did not happen as planned, the Turkish state is now using these ground advances of KDP to occupy the region by themselves. In their first statement, the HPG stated that the helicopters with the ground forces being dropped into the region did not come from the North but from the South, meaning coming from KDP-controlled area.

The Turkish defense ministry announced in the morning that they have started a new major operation outside their borders, called: „Operation Claw-Eagle 2“. The aim is obvious: To drive further into Southern Kurdistan, to install the buffer zone between South- and North-Kurdistan, which was their aim last year in Heftanin, too, and to strike a major blow against the guerilla.

The attack against Gare needs to be understood by everybody as an attack against the whole revolution and a major threat to all of us. There is no difference between the occupation of Efrin, the occupation of Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî, a new operation against Rojava or Şengal, or the occupation of Gare. The attack on Gare-mountains aims at the heart of the revolution and the anti-fascist resistance in the region. For that reason,

We call upon everybody to get active and to take immediate action! Look at our “target map” of some of the places of Turkish fascism, their regional and international collaborators, and get creative: Block, Disturb and Occupy! Take the initiative and actions to the streets!

Together we resist fascism and occupation! Together we smash Turkish fascism and defend the revolution!”

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