RIHA - DAESH, which terrorised the world, attacked Kobanê 11 years ago. With 134 days of historical resistance, the peoples defeated DAESH and laid the foundations of the democratic nation. 

 

DAESH, one of the world's "most feared organisations", prepared the beginning of the end for itself 11 years ago by launching an attack on Kobanê (Kobani) with heavy weapons from 3 sides. The al-Qaeda-linked armed group, which was founded in Iraq in the early 2000s and named DAESH, increased its activities after the Syrian war started in 2011. 

 

On 3 August 2014, DAESH attacked Shengal, massacred Êzidîs (Yazidis) and sold thousands of women they kidnapped in slave markets. After these attacks, DAESH turned its direction to Kobanê in Rojava in 2014, where it both increased the dosage of attacks and added new ones to its massacres. 

 

In Kobanê, which was declared as the first canton of Rojava in January 2014 and taken from the regime forces, the construction of a new life on the basis of "Democratic Autonomy" began. After DAESH launched a three-pronged attack on Kobanê on 15 September 2014, the first steps of the historical resistance that will be written in front of the eyes of the world were taken. Kobanê, which DAESH plans to occupy in a short time, also drew attention as the place where it will taste its first defeat. 

 

While trying to strangle the peoples' revolution, DAESH, which faced the historic resistance of the people of Kobanê for months, contrary to its plans, prepared the beginning of its end.

 

ABDULLAH ÖCALAN'S HISTORIC CALL 

 

Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan said on 22 September 2014 from İmralı: "The fall of Kobanê means the fall of all Kurdistan. Everyone should act according to this reality" and called on Kurds to unite, to organise their lives according to the state of war and to enlarge the resistance. 

 

Following the message of Abdullah Öcalan, who stated that Kobanê is the key to the solution of the Kurdish issue, Kurds in four parts turned towards Kobanê with a spirit of mobilisation. The Kobanê resistance, which brought Kurds in 4 parts together, was an important step in embracing Kurdishness and Kurdistan. 

 

THE RESISTANCE WHERE PIRSÛS MEETS KOBANÊ

 

Following the calls for mobilisation, thousands of people, including internationalist revolutionaries from different countries, dlocked to the Kobani border, which borders the Pirsûs (Suruç) district of Riha (Urfa). Some of those who came to the border against the attacks of DAESH with advanced technological weapons crossed to Kobanê destite the obstacles and joined the resistance. Thousands of people gathered at the Mürşitpınar (Kobanê) Border Gate on 26 September and managed to cross in groups by removing the fence near the gate. 

 

DAESH-TURKEY RELATIONS

 

When DAESH militants used Turkey's borders freely and their relations with soldiers were reported in the media, tens of thousands of people marched to the border on 7 October and started a vigil in villages along the border. AKP President Tayyip Erdoğan's words "Kobanê has fallen, it will fall" at his party's rally in Dîlok (Antep) were the scene of protests involving thousands of people in many cities. On 6-8 October 2014, 46 people lost their lives as a result of armed attacks by police, soldiers and Islamist Free Will Party (HÜDA-PAR) members against the protests.

 

VICTORY WON WITH 134 DAYS OF RESISTANCE

 

Peshmerga forces, who came from the Federated Kurdistan Region on 28 October as part of the fight against DAESH and were kept on the border line for three days, passed through Mürşitpınar Border Gate on 31 October to go to Kobanê. Following the decision to celebrate 1 November as World Kobanê Day, tens of thousands of people flocked to Mehsert village where the resistance watch for Kobanê was kept. 

 

On 6 November, Kader Ortakaya (28), a Social Freedom Platform activist and Marmara University graduate student, lost her life in a gas bomb and live bullet attack on both sides of the border during the human chain protest of artists. 3 December, the second peshmerga force of 150 people sent to support YPG/YPJ fighting against DAESH in Kobanê reached Kobanê. On 19 January, after DAESH was repelled, the YPG flag and Abdullah Öcalan's photograph were hung on Miştenur Hill, one of the most strategic points of Kobanê. On 26 January 2015, the people of Kobanê and the resistance fighters, who did not surrender to the darkness, brought DAESH, which terrorised the whole world, to its knees and liberated the city on its 134th day.  

 

Arif Balî, Co-Chair of the Euphrates Canton Ecology Board, one of those who fought in Kobanê during the resistance, talked about the past and present of the resistance.

 

UNINTERRUPTED FIGHT UNTIL 2019

 

Reminding that he was working in the "Martyrs' Families Assembly" at that time, Balî stated that the invasion attacks of DAESH hit the Kobanê resistance. Balî reminded that the attacks that started in Grê Spî in 2013 turned towards Kobanê in September 2014 after the city of Sirrîn, and stated that the city was besieged from all four sides and the invasion attacks were expanded with the support of Turkey. 

 

Stating that the victory was won after 134 days of historical resistance led by YPJ and YPG, Balî underlined that one of the most important elements of this victory was the unity in 4 parts of Kurdistan with the call made by Abdullah Öcalan. Balî reminded that after the liberation of Kobanê, Minbic, Tebqa and Reqa were liberated from DAESH occupation and liberated respectively. Stating that the struggle against DAESH continued until 2019, Balî also noted that many groups from DAESH continued to carry out their activities here by blending into existing armed forces such as tribes and paramilitary groups.  

 

THE PLACE OF KOBANÊ RESISTANCE

 

Pointing to the effects of Abdullah Öcalan's call during the attacks, Balî noted that they acted with Abdullah Öcalan's paradigm during the Rojava Revolution on 19 July. Balî said: "Assyrian, Arab, Armenian, Circassian and Turkmen peoples under DAESH occupation were facing oppression and persecution. We did not remain silent because we claim that we will fight for democracy, justice and coexistence. As a result of this belief, all the peoples living in Northern and Eastern Syria have come together with us today."

 

VICTORY OF THE PEOPLES

 

4 parts of Kurdistan, Turkey and Syria from 7 to 70 Kurdish-Turkish-Arab peoples from Turkey and Syria came to participate in the resistance, Balî noted, underlining that the victory is the victory of the peoples. 

 

Emphasising that Turkey's support for DAESH was to destroy the system established after the Rojava Revolution, Balî added: "Turkey has fought proxy wars here after a while. Turkey's occupation of Efrîn, Serekanîyê and Grê Spî, their UCAV attacks and targeting the autonomous administration both verbally and physically at every opportunity show us that their desire to occupy this region still continues. However, the people of Kobanê will maintain their spirit of resistance against Turkey's invasion attacks. Because this people realise that possible attacks are a war of existence or non-existence for them.”

 

MA / Ceylan Şahinli