Kobanê lies 160 km north of Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city, on the border with Turkey. Also, it is the capital of Kobanê Canton, the smallest of the three cantons established in Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan or Western Kurdistan).
Even though both Kobanê Canton and the city have been under siege by ISIS for almost two years, yet it was a safe harbour for the peoples of Syria since the beginning of the conflict. With the arrival of people fleeing the conflict, the city’s population grew about 5 times of 62.634, the city’s population according to the 2010 census.
ISIS, unexpectedly starting attacks in Iraq, captured Yezidis’ homeland Sinjar and after committing a large massacre there, continued its way to Mosul, it seized the city and heavy weapons of the fleeing Iraqi Army. ISIS, then, moved tanks, armoured vehicles, cannons and rockets etc. to Syria and stacked around Kobanê, the smallest and the most isolated of the three Rojava cantons.
On 15th of this September, ISIS started to attack Kobanê with these heavy weapons and managed to force People’s Defence Forces (YPG) to retreat. ISIS is close enough to shell the city centre with cannons and rockets. Although ISIS has been stopped less than 5 km away from the city in the last two weeks, it continues to attack and to take lives.
Meanwhile, the government of Turkey, aiming to control the north of Kobanê – the only side that is not under siege by ISIS-, prevents any aid from reaching the city.
Turkey, providing logistical, physical and moral support to El Nusra and ISIS gangs from the beginning of the conflict in Syria, does not grant Kurds and the forces of democratic opposition permission to show their support along the border, let alone allowing the resistance forces in Kobanê receive military aid.
Since September 15, almost every day, the security forces are using real bullets, gas bombs and water cannons in their attacks on the MPs, mayors, students, women, youth, journalists and activists that come from all quarters of Turkey to Pirsûs (Suruç) in order to support the people of Kobanê through peaceful protests like forming human chain.
We call peoples of Europe, all European democratic forces to act immediately, to show their solidarity with people of Kobanê in order to prevent a massacre similar to Yezidis in Sinjar, Armenians in Kesab, Alevis in Lazkiye and Assyrians in Nineveh.
This solidarity, on the one hand, can happen in the form of political support in your institutions and parliaments; on the other hand it can also come in the form of humanitarian aid and materials that will enable the survival of tens of thousands of children and women who fled the war and conflict only to be forced to live in camps, especially given the approaching winter.
We thank you in advance with the firm belief that you will not remain silent and show the much needed support for this issue.
With warmest regards,
HDP Central Executive Committee
October 2, 2014