YPJ Commanders: We Have Struck At All Forms Of Patriarchal Power

(Kobanê) In a new interview with journalist Gulan Botan for JINHA, two YPJ commanders shared their thoughts on the recent push by the Forces of Democratic Syria (HSD) – of which the YPJ is a founding member – into the town of Tishrin west of the Euphrates. Both women, Aryen Efrîn and Berwar Şervin, emphasized how the recent victories against ISIS were not only a blow against this criminal gang but a victory for all women against the entrenched forces of patriarchal power in the region and beyond.

Both women stressed the importance of the YPJ as an entirely female fighting force and its role in defending women of all ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well as in the recent fighting to capture Tishrin. “The role of the YPJ in the success of the operation was important” notes Efrîn, “the YPJ does not only project women in Rojava we have taken upon the defense of all women. In the course of the operation we saw how the DAESH (ISIS) gangs have lost their force and can no longer fight against us. I say this quite openly: no force which has no faith or ties among the people can survive. DEASH has nothing to do with the people while it is committing mass murder in the name of religion. For this reason it is now losing. We have just began a new year and are thus dedicating our success to our leadership. It is us women who will free the leadership from prison”

Another YPJ commander Berwar Şervin added that the YPJ had a place of honor within the HSD and that it had taken on a leadership role for women more broadly. She continued, saying “in crossing the Euphrates river we struck a blow to all forms of power and domination. Our leadership has said to us, ‘wherever there is ISIS you must protect innocent people from them.’ We have acted with such an understanding. We have taken this as our principle and we have gotten successful results from this principle…may this dam (the Tishrin dam) now flow for the people and let the people meet their basic needs from this dam.”