Rojava representative Ahmet Şoreş evaluates the Turkish invasion of northern and eastern Syria and reports on the situation in Rojava:

The fascist "palace" regime has begun a war of occupation under the name of "Peace Spring" How do you evaluate this occupation attack?

The colonialist fascist state under the leadership of the fascist chief Erdogan began an occupation attack on Rojava on 9 October with the permission of the imperialists. The colonialist palace regime has long been pursuing diplomatic and military preparations for this purpose, trying with all methods of psychological warfare, to prepare the peoples of Turkey for this dirty war. After all, the regime has received the expected approval of the USA and Russia. Now the war has started between revolution and counter-revolution, between the forces of freedom and fascism, between the regional revolution and the regional reaction.

First of all, it must be said that the fascist chief, who is at the head of the palace regime, puts everything on this war regarding his future. In this sense, the counter-revolutionary mobilization and war are not insignificant.

The level achieved by our unified revolution of Turkey and Kurdistan, which includes Rojava, is a serious threat to fascism and has eliminated its right to exist. To delay its own decay, fascism is now attacking our revolution. The goal of the enemy is to destroy the most advanced position of the revolution in Kurdistan and the Middle East. This goal is intended to delay the victory of the revolution or the likelihood of a regional revolution spreading.

Moreover, the roots of this aggression are lying in the genesis of fascist colonialism. The bourgeois Turkish colonial state wants to prevent that Kurdistan, no matter in which part of Kurdistan, obtains a status of any form. The Turkish state knows that the liberation of Rojava is the future of Kurdistan. For this reason, Turkish colonialism wants to bring the parts of Kurdistan, which he lost 100 years ago, back under the rule of Turkish colonialism and for this purpose, it uses the most brutal means of colonialism.

It is important to know that this time of war will be at the same time the most brutal and aggressive period of the ruling fascist regime. The fascist dictatorship will armour itself for this period. That means abolishing democratic rights and freedoms, banning protests against the invasion, and arresting more and more people. This means that the speech, action and organization rights will be reduced to a minimum. And that means creating the conditions to unleash the whole brutality of fascism against the peoples and the oppressed with the war against Rojava.

Of course, all of this is nothing new, but it has to be made more aware that we are not in any time of war. These are not ordinary times we are going through. This is the first time that the forces of revolution and counterrevolution are facing each other with an immense squad. This war will be one of the last bloody confrontations between revolution and counterrevolution. If we win, and we believe in our victory, we will not only free Rojava from the occupation. Then a new phase for the revolution of Turkey and Kurdistan will begin. Revolution and counterrevolution are in open war and are now facing each other on the battlefield. Anti-fascist groups, parties of the labouring left, our peoples, and especially the vanguard of the revolutionary-democratic struggle, must now develop a practice of action and struggle that corresponds to this reality.

The palace media claim that the TSK (Turkish Armed Forces) and their gangs would quickly advance in Rojava and invade the cities of Rojava. What is the situation on the ground?

The war, started with an attack of grenades and airstrikes on 9 October against Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî, has spread in less than 48 hours to all of Rojava and northern Syria. We can say that every patch of our soil is now a position in the war. And in every single position the war has a merciless character. In Afrin, Sherewan, Ayn Isa, Manbij, Kobanê, Girê Spî Serêkaniyê and Tirbespiye, Qamishlo and Derik, there are clashes at almost 15 points on 450 km of borderline. In Girê Spî and Serêkaniyê are currently the most intense battles.

In these two cities the first examples of historical resistance are created. No matter how often the fascist palace media tell, there would be no resistance in these cities, no matter how often they tell the story that our peoples would soon capitulate: no one should believe the dirty war propaganda. The colonial army and its gangs, are unable to reach the city centers of Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî despite air strikes. In spite of all inequality, the fighters of the revolution manage to stop the gangs and to realize successful counteractions.

We did not start the war unprepared. For days, for months, there have been military preparations for this resistance. We have logistics and, more importantly, we are determined. The colonial regime is already beginning to realize that this occupation attack will cost dearly. We attack every position and force of the enemy. Wherever they want to penetrate into the city centers, we prevent their advance with heavy weapons. We target all the colonialist institutions, structures and other forces of occupation within our reach - no matter on which side of the border they are. The colonialist regime should know that we will not defend our revolution by retreating but by being at the forefront.

Despite all this, it can already be seen that all this is only the beginning. We are a force that knows this war and knows how to fight. Just as we do not expect the victory in a short time, so we will not give the fascist colonial palace regime any easy victory. The palace regime will not achieve, what the ISIS gangs already did not achieve. In every quarter, every street and in every house we will resist.

The enemy, who relies on his technical capacity, may soon be able to approach the city centers. But he can be sure that he will not be able to leave the cities he tries to besiege. Rojava and northern Syria will be the grave of the colonial, fascist palace regime.

How do the Communists take their place in this war?

As the communists of Rojava and northern Syria, we are again at the forefront, as in all stages of the revolution and the war. We take on important responsibilities in the war against fascist colonialism and command battles which, from the perspective of the revolution, can have consequences of strategic importance.

The Şehit Serkan Battalion and the Şehit Aliser Deniz Brigade lead the defense of Serêkaniyê, which was first attacked by fascist colonialism. Our two military units, the battalion and the brigade, have taken on tasks, responsibilities and commanderies in almost all areas of defense of the city. Our forces perform actions with mortars and missiles that prevent the enemy forces from entering the city. Also sabotage actions that prevent the advance of the enemy are among the successful actions of our forces. At all positions in Serêkaniyê, in all quarters, our military forces are fighting against the invaders.

That is why the fascist colonial palace regime also targeted our Şehit Serkan battalion during the first air raid on Rojava, which started the war. It has become aware of the revolutionary mission of this battalion in the Rojava Revolution. The regime wanted to attack our base, where hundreds of fighters have been trained and where our countless martyrs have left their mark, in order to beat us morally.

Our forces are also in many positions outside of Serêkaniyê, where they have taken on self-defense tasks. We have to say that from now on there will be no difference between the political and the military areas for the communists in Rojava. Decisive now are the needs of the war. Our forces outside the battalion and the brigade have joined the ranks of people's self-defense according to this perspective. In Qamishlo, Dirbesiye, Serêkaniyê, Til Temir and Kobane they defend the revolution as popular militias and self-defense forces.

But that must not be misunderstood. As part of a great revolutionary people's army, we fulfill our revolutionary tasks in the war as fighters and commanders of the People's Army against the occupation. All the tasks and responsibilities we have assumed are in the context of the needs and responsibilities of the revolutionary people's army. And in all war positions we stand shoulder to shoulder with the forces of YPG and SDF.

When the imperialists gave the fascist colonial regime permission for the invasion, they should have told exactly what had happened to them in Vietnam, because these land will become a Vietnam for the occupying forces of the palace. Our war will go down in history as the historical resistance. Every house, every street is a fortress against the enemy. The ground will become a swamp for the enemy. The closer the enemy approaches, the deeper he will sink into this swamp. In the moments, when he least expects it, he will encounter our militants of the revolution. Just as Vietnam has given strength to resist to the peoples of the world and has upheld the peoples' fighting power against imperialism, so we believe, our resistance will open the door to regional revolutions and strengthen the people's determination to resist. This is the meaning that the communists in Rojava attach to the great historical resistance to the occupation of the colonial palace regime, and, in accordance with this meaning, they fulfill their duties in this war.

It is said that the US has closed the airspace to Turkey and would not allow combat and spy aircraft after their acceptance of the operation. Is this information correct?

As we have already said, the fascist Turkish colonial state attacks the Rojava Revolution with the permission of the imperialist. Since the first moment of the war, Turkish combat aircraft are attacking and intelligence planes are in action. The news that imperialist forces have blocked airspace for Turkey is false and denies the determination we are fighting in this war. If there is somebody who, despite all these air strikes, believes in this misinformation, then that person does not believe in the forces of revolution.

It is foreseeable that Turkey will continue to use combat and intelligence aircraft. Contradictory claims by imperialist forces are nothing more than lies against the peoples of this world.

These lies need not surprise us either. Where the Rojava revolution and the great resistance army of its revolutionary people are weakened, the likelihood that regional contradictions and confrontations between the imperialists will collapse with a revolution is diminishing. There, revolutionary forces are being forced "into the limits of the ruling order". For this reason, all developments are being used to harm the revolution. Some may wonder about the approval of the invasion war by the imperialist forces. The history of revolutions shows, however, that there cannot be trust in the imperialists and that, in whatever form, they are ultimately the enemy of the revolution. The occupation attack of fascist colonialism once again confirmed this truth.

Nevertheless, we would like to note one thing: our revolution has always relied on its own power since the beginning of its existence. It relied on the peoples of Rojava and northern Syria. It is nonsensical to expect that forces of imperialism would protect the interests of the revolution. Those who question the anti-imperialist nature of our revolution should now realize the fact that the frontier between revolution and counterrevolution is now as clear as it has never been. The war we are waging against the fascist colonial palace fascism is also a war we are waging against imperialism and its political decisions.

What is your call to the peoples of this world?

The war now being waged between Rojava and the colonial Turkish state has the quality of being crucial to the fate of the revolution and counterrevolution. If we win, the way will be paved for the revolution of Turkey and Kurdistan, the regional revolution will be strengthened and an important obstacle to the attainment of the historical rights of the Kurdish people will have been removed. If the fascist ruling regime is defeated in this war, the ground under its feet will break away. Afterwards the gates to freedom open for our peoples.

It is vitally important for the peoples of this world to stand by and defend the Rojava revolution. While attacking the region's most reactionary fascist force, Rojava will realize the first revolution of our age of resistance and turn the Revolution of Freedom into a women's revolution. This revolution is the power that has defeated the IS that has become the agony for the peoples of the whole world. It must not be forgotten that, despite all its shortcomings and weaknesses, Rojava relies on popular democracy and local communities and today it is the only representative of a real revolution in the world. In this revolution, together with the blood of the peoples of Turkey and Kurdistan and the Arab peoples, the blood of international revolutionaries flowed. What the revolution represents is far greater than the geographical extent of the area in which it takes place.

Here in the positions of war we fulfill the tasks of the revolution. Our peoples and their vanguard must fulfill their responsibilities, take to the streets, target the colonial palace regime, and make the fascist regime repent to have ever started this war.