Kurdistan Parliament highlights Afrin resistance, calls Turkey to end military operation

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Parliament on Tuesday condemned the Turkish military operation in the Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) city of Afrin, calling on the United Nations and the international community to stop the attacks.

At the request of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Gorran Movement, the Kurdistan Parliament convened a special session to discuss the situation in Afrin, issuing several recommendations to end the Turkish operation.

In a statement following the meeting, the Kurdistan Parliament condemned the Turkish attacks, calling on “the UN and the international community to make immediate efforts to stop the unjust Turkish attacks on Afrin.”

The parliament urged Turkey to adhere to international laws and respect neighborly relations, calling for an immediate halt of its military aggression.

“We praise the resistance of the men and women in Afrin and Rojava and wish them success,” the Parliament statement added.

The statement also revealed that “the Kurdistan Region and Rojava border crossings [would] remain open to transfer humanitarian and medical assistance to the affected people in Afrin and Rojava in general.”

The Kurdistan Parliament called on political parties in Rojava “to set aside their differences and create national unity,” so they can build on their achievements.

Turkey began its offensive to expel the People’s Protection Units (YPG) from a northwestern enclave in Syria on Jan. 20 as it launched artillery and air strikes on positions in Afrin in a campaign labeled “Operation Olive Branch.”

So far, dozens of people have been injured and killed in the area since the operation started.

Turkey considers the YPG and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), who have been managing the city’s security and administration since 2012, a “terrorist organization.”

Washington’s support for the Kurdish fighters has infuriated Ankara, which recently renewed calls for the disarmament of the YPG.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany