The occupation forces in Afrin in northern Syria snatched the remains of YPG and YPJ fighters and civilians killed in Turkish airstrikes from the earth of the Şehîd (Martyr) Avesta Cemetery and spread the lie that a mass grave with people "executed by the YPG/PKK" had been discovered. On July 14, the Erdoğan regime's Anadolu Agency (AA) spoke of 35 people who had been executed for refusing to join the YPG. The following day, there was talk of 61 corpses lying in a mass grave in a mess of body bags. On the other hand, it has been confirmed that the bodies belong to the YPG-YPJ fighters and civilians who were martyred during the invasion attack on Afrin on January 20, 2018.

Cizire, Afrin and Aleppo Assemblies of Martyrs’ Families took to the streets and condemned the dirty policies of the Turkish state.

AFRIN

A press statement read out by Afrin Martyr Families Assembly Members Avdar Elo and Menal Şêxo said:

“The invading Turkish state and its mercenaries have once again disrespected the cemetery and martyrs in Afrin. It distorted the facts and claimed that the mass grave belonged to the people killed by the YPG-YPJ.

The mass grave belongs to civilians and YPG-YPJ fighters who were killed as a result of the massacres committed by the invading Turkish state and its mercenaries during the invasion attacks against Afrin. We have documents. We reject the baseless claims of the media affiliated with the invading Turkish army. We will submit our documents to the relevant authorities.”

ALEPPO

The Aleppo Assembly of Martyrs’ Families made the following statement:

“The invading Turkish army and its mercenaries launched an invasion attack on Afrin in 2018 and committed genocide. The bodies of civilians and YPG-YPJ fighters couldn’t possibly be buried in the martyrs’ cemeteries or villages under intense attacks.

All the people of Afrin know that many corpses were hastily hidden as people were forced to migrate from Afrin. The terror of the invading Turkish state is unlimited, everyone must fulfil their moral responsibilities against this organized terror."

CIZIRE

The statement by the Tirbespiyê, Girkê Legê, Til Temir and Qamişlo Assemblies of Martyrs' Families is as follows:

“Turkish fascism under the leadership of AKP and MHP carries out all kinds of dirty policies against the people's desire to live with their own identity and dignity. There is no example in history of an attack on the graves of martyrs. This dirty method has not been used for the first time. The same thing was done to cemeteries in South Kurdistan and Serêkaniyê before and is applied in Afrin today. The Turkish army uses martyrs' cemeteries as military bases. The Turkish state desecrates mortal remains by opening the graves of martyrs. This brings to mind what ISIS did between 2014 and 2015. It indicates that there is no difference between the Turkish state and ISIS.

As the families of thousands of Kurdish, Arab and Syriac martyrs in North and East Syria, we will continue to expose the dirty methods of the Turkish state and its mercenaries. We will continue to resist in the streets more than ever. We will stand by our children who are fighting for the liberation of Afrin, and we will reject the system of changing the demographic structure."