On January 6, the army of the Syrian Transitional Government, along with various Islamist groups, began besieging and attacking the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah in Aleppo. At the initiative of women, the neighborhood council decided to stay and resist, not only to defend their homes but also their democratic, emancipatory, and multicultural self-governance. For five days, the internal security forces put up fierce resistance against tens of thousands of soldiers armed with tanks, drones, and heavy weapons. On January 11, government forces took control of the neighborhoods. An agreement allowed the wounded and martyr’s bodies to leave. Many people remain in the areas controlled by the Syrian Transitional Government and are subject to abduction, torture, and murder. Increasing reports of war crimes and violations of international law are being published, including the desecration of corpses, repeated attacks on the last remaining hospital, and massacres of civilians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The attacks have now intensified after the Syrian Transitional Government declared further areas of the Autonomous Administration as military zones. Islamist ideology aims to destroy the democratic Autonomous Administration. On behalf of all women resisting in North and East Syria, we call on all women’s and democracy movements, as well as on all people who believe in human rights that transcend borders, to condemn the massacres. The international community, which directly and indirectly supports these attacks, must be held accountable! The war must end, and a solution for peaceful coexistence must be negotiated!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We therefore urge international institutions, including the United Nations, the Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Security Council and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), to fulfil their responsibilities and take action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sign the appeal until 17th of January and share it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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