BERÇEM CÛDÎ

Kobanê –ISIS, which was defeated by SDF fighters in the Baxoz district of Deir ez-Zor, northeastern Syria, in 2019, still poses a threat to the whole world. 139 people, including three children, were killed and 182 others were injured in an ISIS attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow in the evening of March 22.

‘ISIS did not emerge overnight’

NuJINHA spoke to Emîra Mihemed Elî, member of the Social Affairs Board Women’s Office in Euphrates Canton, about the Moscow concert hall attack claimed by ISIS. Emîra Mihemed Elî thinks the emergence of ISIS is like the system of capitalism in the 18th century, which exercises influence over people according to its own interest.

“The emergence of ISIS in the 21st century led by the system of capitalism. Therefore, ISIS did not emerge overnight. Since the 90s, ISIS has been used to change the map of the Middle East. ISIS is only one of the projects aiming to remap the Middle East in the 21st century. Now, ISIS is an international terror organization.”

‘There are powers supporting ISIS’

Speaking about the powers that support ISIS, Emîra Mihemed Elî said, “For instance, the Turkish state, previously known as the Ottoman Empire, provides both financial and logistical support to ISIS. The Ottoman Empire shed the blood of hundreds of thousands of people from different nationalities and religions. Today, the Turkish state carries out brutal attacks against the Kurdish people.”

‘Only YPJ/YPG and SDF fought’

Emîra Mihemed Elî emphasized that only the fighters of the Women's Defense Units (YPJ), the People's Defense Units (YPG) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fought ISIS between 2013 and 2014 while ISIS was posing a threat to  humanity. “The fighters fought the ideology of ISIS claiming that it is the caliph of all Muslims. Undoubtedly, ISIS aims to cause chaos in the Middle East.”

‘It poses a threat to humanity’

Emîra Mihemed Elî pointed to ISIS sleeper cells and said, “ISIS has recently carried out many attacks by organizing in the Middle East and Europe. One of these attacks was on Crocus City Hall in Moscow on March 22. Everyone should know very well that ISIS could carry out attacks everywhere. ISIS poses a threat to humanity.”

‘The world should unite’

Recalling that there are many ISIS members in the prisons controlled by the SDF in North and East Syria, Emîra Mihemed Elî said, “ISIS sleeper cells in al-Hol camp are like a bomb about to explode. Even children are raised according to ISIS ideology in the camp. ISIS sleeper cells are ready to attack if they find an opportunity. We can say that ISIS poses a threat not only to North and East Syria but also the whole world. The world should unite against ISIS. As the people and fighters of North and East Syria, we have experiences in fighting ISIS.”