The war that has been raging in Aleppo for the past two days shows us once again: No attack in the Middle East is random, and no conflict is merely “local.” What is being attacked today in Aleppo – with bombs, weapons, and sieges – is not only a city. What is under attack is the will of peoples to live together, the experience of self-government, and, in particular, the new life that women have built on the basis of freedom.
We openly address the European public:
To view these attacks merely as a “security crisis” or a “regional conflict” is to obscure reality. What is happening in Aleppo is a deliberate political attack on the right of peoples to self-determination. The goal is to destroy the democratic, confederal model of life and to subjugate societies to centralized, patriarchal, and authoritarian systems.
An Attack on Self-government and Confederal Living Together
The self-government established in Aleppo and the surrounding area is a concrete expression of the courage of the peoples to organize their own lives in the midst of war. This system stands in opposition to the nation-state and monistic thinking. It is based on the equal participation of all peoples, faiths, and identities—a confederal model of living together.
This is precisely why it has become a target.
This model represents a serious alternative to oppressive forms of governance, not only in the Middle East but worldwide. The attacks on Aleppo are an attempt to suffocate this potential and eliminate an example of democratic self-organization.
The Last Two Days: The Female Face of War
The events of the past two days once again demonstrate that women pay the highest price in war.
In several districts of Aleppo, women were forced to seek shelter with their children in basements and partially destroyed houses as the fighting escalated. One mother reported that she covered her children’s mouths during the bombings so their crying would not be heard: “We were afraid of being discovered.” This fear illustrates the many levels on which women are targeted in war.
In another neighborhood, a local council building jointly used by women was evacuated, and important documents had to be hastily hidden. Women are trying to protect not only their lives, but also the structures they have built up over many years with great effort. They know that if these attacks succeed, the political and social presence of women will be wiped out first.
Another report indicates that a young woman involved in women’s self-defense structures was forced to leave her place of residence with her family. Nevertheless, she stated that she would return and not give up the fight. This clearly shows clearly that women are not only victims, but also central actors in resistance.
The Attempt to Destroy Women’s Achievements
The attacks in Aleppo are directly aimed at the reality of women’s liberation. Women’s political participation – through the co-chair system, women’s councils, cooperatives, and self-defense structures – pose a direct threat to the patriarchal system.
For this reason, the attacks deliberately target the visibility, organization, and achievements of women. The displacement of women from the public sphere means the subjugation of the whole society.
An Appeal to the European Public
We ask the people, institutions, and democratic forces of Europe:
How can European values be reconciled with silence while the achievements of women, peoples, and oppressed communities are being systematically destroyed?
If Europe remains silent today in the face of attacks on self-government and confederal coexistence in Aleppo, on what moral grounds will it defend democratic rights within its own territory tomorrow? This silence encourages the attackers and further isolates the affected populations.
The silence of the European public is not neutral – becomes part of these attacks.
A Special Call to Women: Time for Cross-Border Solidarity
From here, we address women and women’s organizations in Europe in particular:
The women in Aleppo who are under attack today are part of your struggle. The freedom of women under attack there today could be under attack everywhere tomorrow. Women’s achievements will either be defended together – or destroyed individually.
The mothers protecting their children in basements in Aleppo, the women defending their councils, the young women forced to flee—they do not expect saviors, but solidarity. They expect you to make their voices heard, to make them visible, and to build political pressure.
Internationalist Solidarity is a Necessity.
Today, internationalist solidarity is not an option – it is a necessity. Our achievements are in danger. Women’s liberation, the self-government of peoples, and the democratic model of life are under massive attack.
The voice rising from Aleppo must reach Europe.
This is not only a cry for help, but a joint call to resistance.
Silence is complicity.
Solidarity is life.
Long live the internationalist solidarity of the peoples.
Long live women’s freedom.
Long live the struggle for a confederal life.
Kongra Star & Women Defend Rojava
