Tens of thousands take to the streets in Afrin against attacks

Tens of thousands took to the streets in Afrin and gave the message “we are here despite the barbaric attacks of the Turkish state” to the world.

People from Northern Syrian cities, Southern Kurdistan and Shengal held a massive solidarity meeting in Afrin alongside local people on Saturday. Holding a giant poster of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan and flags of YPG/YPJ and SDF, the crowd marched from Newroz junction to Dersim Hospital. A banner in front of the cortege read: “No to massacre of children”.

After observing a minute of silence in the memory of the martyrs, Mensur El-Selum, co-chair of Constituent Council of Northern Syrian Democratic Federation, condemned Turkey’s attack on convoys that were carrying civilians who wanted to show solidarity with Afrin.

“Erdogan sees increasing support of the people of Northern Syria to Afrin and therefore he has increased his barbaric attacks. With these attacks Erdogan is not only targeting the civilians but the unity of people as well,” he said.

Several officials from Northern Syrian administration including the co-chair of Afrin’s Executive Council Osman Sheikh Isa, co-chair of Kobane’s TEV-DEM Ayshe Efendi, representative of Raqqa’s Civil Council Xaliya Kichwan also held speeches saluting the resistance in Afrin and urging the international powers and humanitarian organizations to raise their voice against the massacres of the Turkish state.

The massive demonstration ended with slogans condemning Turkey.