News Center- Turkey has been carrying out attacks on Iraq and the Kurdistan Region since April. It also uses chemical weapons in its attacks. Two women’s organizations have issued statements condemning the use of chemical weapons and calling on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and other international organizations to fulfill their duty.

The Yazidi Free Women's Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Azadiya Jinên Êzîdî-TAJÊ) has issued a written statement condemning the use of chemical weapons by Turkey. Recalling that the fighters of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) and the Free Women's Units (Kurdish: Yekîneyên Jinên Azad ên Star- YJA Star) were the first people helping the Yazidis and Yazidi women, the statement underlined that the death of fighters due to chemical weapons has inflicted a deep wound in society.

“Inhuman practices are used”

The statement issued by the TAJÊ is as follows:

“The occupying Turkish state has been carrying out attacks on guerrillas with the support of the KDP since April. The Turkish state has been using all inhuman practices, its army and factions to annihilate the guerrillas. The guerrillas have been waging a great resistance to defeat the attacks. For this reason, the Turkish state has used chemical weapons against them.

“We will keep resisting”

“The Turkish state and the KDP have been intensifying their attacks against the guerrillas, who protected us during the genocide. In recent days, 17 guerrillas have been killed by chemical weapons. We, as the TAJÊ, we condemn the use of chemical weapons against the guerrillas. We will keep resisting until the Turkish state and the KDP are defeated.”

TJA: Take action against the use of chemical weapons

The Free Women’s Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) has also issued a written statement. “The use of chemical weapons is an international war crime. The development, production, stockpiling, transfer and use of chemical weapons are prohibited by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is responsible for fulfilling the convention’s mandate,” the statement said, “Although the use of chemical weapons by Turkey has been reported many times, no action has been taken to prevent it. For this reason, this war crime is still committed. This crime is committed against all people and nature. The silence of the Iraqi Regional Government and those responsible for ending the use of chemical weapons shows that there is a deal between them.”

In the statement, the TJA called on the international organizations to fulfill their duty. “An immediate investigation should be launched about the footage showing the use of chemical weapons, those responsible for the use of chemical weapons should be revealed. We, as women, are most affected by the destruction of wars and conflicts. We call on all people, particularly on all women, to take action and raise their voices against the use of chemical weapons.”