Tuesday, February 13, 2018
In late January, Turkey started to invade Afrin in North-West Syria, as it wants to eradicate the self-governance of the Kurdish, Arab, Syriac-Assyrian and Turkmen peoples in The Federation of Northern Syria, and to destroy the Syrian Democratic Forces (which were responsible for defeating ISIS in North and East Syria, with help from the US and EU Member States). Innocent civilians in Afrin have been killed. But, the speaker of the Turkish Parliament has called this attack a ‘jihad,’ as well as the president of the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet). The powerful Diyanet resides directly under the office of the Turkish Prime Minister. As these statements from such high-level representatives and officials have not been retracted or contradicted by the Turkish Government, it is clear that Turkey, itself, considers this a jihad. Moreover, there is now clear evidence that Turkey cooperates with Al Qaida and other jihadist forces. It is, therefore, no surprise that Christians and Yazidi’s in Afrin are crying out for Europe and the US to stop the Turkish invasion in Afrin. They fear these jihadists and the violence from the Turkish forces. They are rightly fearing the loss of their freedom of religion, as well. It is obvious what jihad means for them. The Turkish airforce has been bombing civilians relentlessly. More and more reports by western journalists in the region are confirming this (Please see the links to news sources, below). Turkey is bombarding civilian targets deliberately, and places far from the frontline are hit by airstrikes. Children and whole families are killed by the Turkish airforce. Turkey failed so far to provide any evidence for its rhetoric that Afrin threatens Turkey and, therefore, this attack is groundless. Apparently, Turkey cannot accept that the same people, who are treated as second-class citizens in Turkey (such as Kurds and Syriac-Assyrians), have gained full rights and freedoms in Syria. Turkey is determined to impose its oppression in neighboring countries and export its own problems abroad by any means possible. Now Turkey wants to invade all of northern Syria and up to Iraq, and create the same destruction in all these areas that have just been liberated from ISIS. The EU, EU Member States and NATO Member States need to undertake any effort possible - starting with diplomacy, first - to stop this Turkish jihad against Afrin which has now become a massacre of innocent people. We also call on the Churches of Europe to listen to the Christians in Afrin, and speak out against this violence and demand the EU and EU Member States do what is possible to stop this violence - again, concentrating their efforts on diplomacy, first. At Sallux, we have seen upfront how the situation in northern Syria has been changed dramatically for the better. Many others have the same experience. Fundamental freedoms and equality for men and women has been implemented. All that has been gained by the International Coalition will be lost if this violence is not stopped. The people of Europe are angry that their governments do not speak out. Many politicians are starting to pressure their governments but they need your help to make it clear that you want your government and the EU, as well as NATO, to demand an immediate end of this invasion and to achieve that by all reasonable means possible - concentrating their efforts on diplomacy. Sign here and raise your voice for the victims in Afrin! FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://www.sallux.eu/what-sallux-stands-for.html https://www.turkishminute.com/2018/01/28/turkish-parliament-speaker-calls-afrin-offensive-jihad/ https://news.sol.org.tr/religious-affairs-directorate-calls-afrin-offensive-jihad-173999 http://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/turkey%E2%80%99s-silent-al-qaeda-partner-syria http://theregion.org/article/12609-sdf-says-it-fought-al-qaeda-linked-rebel-group-near-afrin http://en.hawarnews.com/yazidi-institutions-do-not-accept-elimination-in-afrin-too/ https://www.geo.tv/latest/179293-more-civilians-killed-as-turkey-pursues-syria-campaign http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/01/26/550230/Syria-Turkey-Iraq-United-States-Kurds-Afrin
