The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party held protests across several provinces against the airstrikes conducted by the Turkish military in northern Syria.
Protests took place in predominantly Kurdish provinces such as Diyarbakır, Mardin, Urfa, Van, Siirt, and Hakkari, as well as in other cities like Mersin and Adana. DEM members voiced their concern over the targeting of civilian infrastructure in the airstrikes. They also referenced the ongoing discussions on a “new peace process” initiated by the ruling bloc, emphasizing that “peace cannot be achieved through bombings.”
The airstrikes were in response to the Oct 23 attack by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Ankara, which left five people dead, targeting Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria, also known as Rojava. The bombing involving fighter jets and drones reportedly resulted in the killing of at least 27 people and damage to civilian infrastructure. Turkey views the Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria as an extension of the PKK.
During the protest in Urfa, DEM Party deputy Ferit Şenyaşar condemned the attacks, saying, “Civilian areas were bombed indiscriminately. In the attacks carried out by warplanes and armed drones, women and children, among other civilians, were killed.”
He added that the ongoing attacks, from Palestine to Rojava, were only deepening instability in the Middle East.
In Mardin, DEM Party provincial chair Mecla Acıbuca called for an end to the airstrikes, saying, “We call on the government to immediately halt these violations of international law. We urge the peoples of Turkey and the democratic public to stand against the government and organize for peace, both within and beyond Turkey’s borders.”
Statement from bar associations
In a parallel response, ten bar associations issued a joint statement criticizing Turkey’s military actions in northern Syria. The statement expressed concern that the government’s reliance on military measures rather than peaceful solutions had historically only led to suffering and loss.
“The preference for security policies over peaceful measures in resolving the Kurdish issue has resulted in nothing but pain and tears throughout history,” the statement read. “We believe that the repeated use of military methods, which have been tried multiple times, contributes nothing to a solution.”
The statement highlighted that the targeted areas in northern Syria are home to Kurdish communities and had been re-established as safe zones for civilians after the Syrian war.
The bar associations called on the government to foster peaceful relations with neighboring communities, emphasizing that such a stance would benefit Turkey’s internal peace and social harmony.
The statement was endorsed by the bar associations of Ağrı, Batman, Diyarbakır, Hakkâri, Iğdır, Muş, Siirt, Urfa, Şırnak, and Van. (VK)