Kurds call on world not to forget Afrin a year after Turkish invasion
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) mounted a defense of the city, but were overwhelmed by the Turkish offensive that also utilized proxy Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters.
The SDF's political arm, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), continued to call for its liberation.
"One year after the resistance of the era in Afrin, still we insist on its liberation. A complete year had passed when the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries began aggression on Afrin," read an SDC statement released on Saturday.
The diverse group is predominately comprised of Kurds who banded together to fight ISIS in Syria with the support the US-led international coalition.
"... and the people of Afrin for 58 days deserved to be the resistance of the era. Not only because of the enormous difference between the two sides..." the SDC continued.
The SDF was flabbergasted when the United States and Russia — which also backed the Kurds against extremists in western Syria — allowed the Turkish invasion to proceed unabated.
Hundreds of SDF fighters died in defense of their homeland. Exact figures released by Ankara and the SDF vary. The UN estimates upwards of 150,000 were forcibly displaced because of the operation.
"We also call all our Syrian people from all their social entities to go to the camps of Shahba to see hard conditions in the camps which were built by local self-support, making a decision to stay until their return to their olives, soil and water in a safe and dignified manner," the SDC added.
Critics have claimed Turkey is implementing a demographic change, replacing Kurds with Arabs and Turkmen. Schools have been opened in the district of Aleppo which teach in Arabic and Turkish, but not Kurdish.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad categorized the attack as a violation of the country's sovereignty but has done little to combat it.
Kurds in Syria are increasingly worried of more Turkish operations in the north. They have entered into negotiations with Damascus as the United States has announced its intention to withdraw its 2,000 soldiers and Marines because of the "defeat" of ISIS.
The SDC called for the United Nations to recognize January 20 as an "International Day of Solidarity with Afrin."
"We stress at the same time that our determination and our insistence on the liberation of Afrin has become a priority and one of the basic solutions in Syria," stated the SDC.
The battle ended on March 24, but the SDF have pledged to fight a guerrilla war against Turkish forces.
For Kurds who wanted a "Greater Kurdistan," Afrin is the closest Kurdish area to the Mediterranean. The loss of the canton was a blow to Syrian Kurds' aspirations for further autonomy.
The operation ended with Turkey and its proxies tearing down a statue of Kawa the Blacksmith, an iconic cultural figure in Kurdish mythology.
The YPG vowed more attacks against Turkey and their proxy forces.
"We affirm that we will increase the struggle against any kinds of fascism and invasion attempt until we achieve the emancipation of our people and geography from Turkish and jihadist invasion," read a statement from its General Command on Sunday.
It reiterated claims that Turkey is on a mission to ethnically cleanse Kurds from northern Syria.
"Afrin was put into a dire situation due to serious human rights violations ethnic cleansing and daily atrocities," stated the YPG.
It also blamed "those who did nothing but turning a blind eye to the occupation."
An explosion in downtown Afrin killed and injured an unspecified number people on Sunday morning. No group immediately claimed the attack.
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Update: 3:34 p.m.