Hediye Yusif, co-chair of the Northern Syrian Democratic Federation Constituent Assembly, sent a message to the International Conference on Demographic Change and Ethnic Cleansing in Afrin which began in Amude on Sunday morning.

In her message, Yusif said that the invasion of Afrin developed as a result of the alliance of regional and international forces, and added that this invasion had actually prompted a new phase in the Syrian crisis.

“Despite being part of Syria, the Syrian regime remained silent on the occupation of Afrin. And armed groups and groups that called themselves opposition to the regime began a war which was actually led by a foreign state [namely Turkey]”.

Yusif’s messages added: "Turkey kept carrying out its policies against the people of Afrin in order to achieve its purpose of occupation. The people of Afrin suffered many massacres. Turkey has been carrying out war crimes and ethnic cleansing crimes, in open violation of international law and rules in the hope to revive the Ottoman era”.   

Yusif continued: “We are facing a big problem. The problem is that in our country, where the terror system and its cells have been settled, has been transformed into a great danger for humanity. As the democratic channels for the solution of the crisis are not yet opened, violence and war continue in our country, but it is the people of Syria that want freedom and peace who pay the price of this war”.

The Northern Syrian Democratic Federation Constituent Assembly executive ended her remarks by saying: “The peoples of Syria, and the people of Afrin, despite the terrible pain and violence they have suffered, believe in a new future, in free people and a new democratic system. This belief is rooted on our free will”.