The Young Women’s Union and Revolutionary Youth Movement organised a demonstration in Raqqa city demanding freedom for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and denouncing the Turkish state’s crimes in Syrian territories.

Following the protest march, Raqqa Youth Assembly co-chair Büşra El Ehmed read out a statement in the name of the group and vowed, in the name of the Rojava people, to avenge the crimes committed by the Turkish state, citing its latest deadly attacks in Kobanê and Qamishlo.

“We have been standing shoulder to shoulder with the SDF since the beginning of the revolution. We will continue standing alongside the SDF against the Turkish state in the battle fronts. We will enhance the struggle until the occupied territories are freed,” the activist said.

Commander Ebu Xelef, speaking on behalf of the Raqqa Military Council, stated that the Turkish state attacked North-East Syria to cover up its domestic crisis and economic collapse.

The demonstration ended with the activists chanting slogans condemning Turkey’s crimes.