Protest against Turkish drone attack on “Öcalan House” in Kobanê

Protests have been held in Kobanê against the Turkish drone attack on the "Öcalan House". In 1979, PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan stayed in the house for a while.

After the attack on the "Öcalan House" in Kobanê, outrage and anger are spreading in northern and eastern Syria. "It is not the first act of aggression against places to which our society attaches special value. And it probably won't be the last," PYD politician Ehmed Şexo said at a rally in the village of Elpelûre. "Attacks on other regions in the autonomous areas also continue. Guarantor powers Russia and the U.S. continue to ignore Turkey's violations of the ceasefire agreement."

The Öcalan house in Elpelûre had been bombed and damaged by a Turkish combat drone on Friday night. The building, where Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan stayed for a time in 1979, is unoccupied and serves as a meeting place for the population. Since 2016, people in Kobanê have traditionally celebrated Öcalan's birthday in Elpelûre.

"This incident joins a chain of attacks on the values of our society and affects the possibilities of solving the Kurdish question," Şexo said. He said this refers to aggressions by Turkey and allied jihadists of the NATO member against gravesites, cemeteries of martyrs and historical sites in northern Syria, as well as currently ongoing attacks. "The bombardments of areas in Ain Issa, Shehba or Til Temir continue. As the PYD, we despise these attacks. Our disapproval goes to the international community for maintaining its silence."