The Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM) made a statement on the sixth anniversary of the launch of the Turkish state's invasion attacks against Afrin. As a result of these attacks, the Turkish state and its gangs occupied Afrin in March 2018 and established a complete terror regime. 

The statement pointed out that: "With the shameful silence of the international community and the co-operation of the powers that have a hand in what is happening in Syria, the Turkish army and its gangs carried out brutal attacks against the Afrin Canton 6 years ago. Many Salafist groups and gangs participated in the attacks of the Turkish army from the ground and air. 72 warplanes and drones destroyed the nature, geography and spiritual values of Afrin. Before the attacks, the people of Afrin and the components in the city were protecting themselves against assimilation and genocide by living their culture and historical values within the democratic system in the region."

The statement emphasised that the occupying Turkish state and its gangs have violated all humanitarian values and disregarded international law in the region since the day they occupied Afrin and said, "Daily crimes have increased, violations against citizens have increased. Incidents such as violence, kidnapping, rape, assassination, arrest and severe punishments have repeatedly taken place. Attempts were made to impose the policy of savagery on our people in Afrin. They stole the property, fields, natural resources of the people in the region, cut down their trees and sold them."

"The most dangerous thing is that terrorist families were settled in Afrin," the statement said, adding that this was done with the support of the occupying Turkish state and some regional chauvinist organisations. It was also pointed out that one of the dangerous policies implemented in the region is the policy of changing the demographic structure, which is a great danger for the future of Afrin and its people.

The statement continued:

"The people of Afrin live under the most difficult conditions in terms of life. The people are facing the disaster of the invaders and gangs. They resort to violence and brutal practices to intimidate the people and force them to abandon their culture and values. All this is happening in front of the eyes of the international community.

Even the IDPs in the Shehba camps could not escape these vicious policies. Caught between the bombardment of the occupying Turkish state and the siege policies of the Damascus government, the IDPs are facing a real humanitarian catastrophe. The Astana group was organised to oppose the project of a democratic nation in northern and eastern Syria.

The incessant attacks of the occupying Turkish state against the infrastructures of North and East Syria are a continuation of its policies in occupied Afrin and seek to revive violence and terror in the region.

As TEV-DEM, we call on all regional structures, political and national forces, civil society organisations and women's organisations to unite and stand together against the immoral crimes of the occupying Turkish state. We call on everyone to struggle for national and revolutionary resistance against these crimes. People should take to the streets against the occupation and condemn the attacks.

Finally, we call on public opinion and the UN to be serious and clear in their stance, to condemn the crimes against humanity, to close the airspace and to ensure the safe return of IDPs to their lands."