“Last night the fascist Turkish state began a series of heavy airstrikes throughout North and East Syria, hitting the historic city of Kobane, as well as other targets including Shehba, Dêrik and Zirgan. These hostile attacks represent a clear escalation,
as the threat of a major invasion continues to loom over the region...
"The true target of these attacks is not the SDF, but society here itself - the people and their movement for democratic autonomy. Their goal is not only military victory, but a genocidal
policy meant to terrorize local communities and dominate the region through the expansion of a neo-Ottoman empire. To this end, last night, they bombed not only military targets but civilian villages, a grain facility, and even a hospital.
"These airstrikes could not have been carried out without tacit approval from both Russia and the United States, who respectively control the region’s airspace.
In this context, the statement by the US Consulate warning US citizens one day before the attack to “avoid border areas” due to a “potential Turkish military action” takes on an especially sinister tone. Once more, the United States is showing that it is only
in Syria to pursue its own interests - happy to use the SDF as partners against ISIS, but quick to turn their back on these same “allies” as they face the brutal attacks and occupation of its precious NATO-partner Turkey. While President Biden may wish to
distance himself from Trump’s 2019 troop withdrawal, his passive approval of Turkish aggression makes him every bit as responsible for the violence that will follow."
