Ilham Ehmed, Executive Committee Chair of the Syria Democratic Council, classifies the assassination of the two local politicians Sada al-Harmoush and Hind al-Khedr by IS as a “targeted attack on self-government”.
Ilham Ehmed of the Syria Democratic Council (MSD) has commented to ANF on the killings by the “Islamic State” (IS) of the co-chair of the Til Sheir Municipality Civil Council, Sada al-Harmoush, and her deputy Hind al-Khedr on 22 January. She stated, “The IS is trying to hit the system of self-government. This is because this system creates the basis for the liberation of women, the building of a democratic society and a change in mentality. The IS wants to prevent women’s freedom and progress and impose its sinister, authoritarian system on them. He knows that self-government is actively supported, especially by women.”
Ilham Ehmed stressed the need to take an even stronger stand against the IS mentality: “All women, especially women in north-eastern Syria, must stand together against these attacks. Women should unite their strength and ideas against these dark forces and participate even more in self-governance. As a result of these killings and in response to the perpetrators’ aims, even more women should join the Women’s Defence Units YPJ. Free-thinking men should also join forces and take a stand against IS.”
MSD: Erdoğan is spiritual father of IS
The MSD issued a statement saying, “Despite the invasion attacks of the Turkish state, the fascist attitude of the government in Damascus, the silence of Russia and the US in the face of the attacks, we will continue our struggle for dialogue.” The MSD condemns the Turkish artillery attacks that killed four people and injured nine others in Tell Rifat and calls Erdoğan the “spiritual father of IS”. Because the Rojava revolution is led by women, they are particularly targeted by Turkey and IS: “That is why Sada al-Harmoush and Hind al-Khedr were murdered. The military wing of the MSD, the QSD, with the help of the international coalition, have dealt heavy blows to the IS cells. The Turkish state is also aware of the situation. It knows that it can no longer remain on Syrian soil when its jihadist militias are finished. It will no longer be able to play the Syria crisis and refugee card with Europe. As MSD, we demand accountability for these crimes. We call on women’s institutions, human rights organisations and the international community, especially the UN, to immediately end the Turkish state’s occupation and its crimes against humanity.”
Who is the MSD?
The Syria Democratic Council was established in 2015 as a political umbrella organisation for creating a political framework for resolving the Syrian conflict through intra-Syrian talks and taking on diplomatic work. Political parties as well as representatives of civil society, the autonomy administration and key individuals are organised in the MSD.
