How should the liberation of Tabqa and the start of Raqqa move be interpreted in the new conjecture of Middle East?

I want to start by mentioning of Ulaş Bayraktaroğlu, the founding leader of DKP (Revolutionary Communars Party) and the commander of BÖG (Unified Freedom Forces) who martyred in Raqqa on May 9th.  Our words to our martyrs will be waving the socialism flag where he martyred, succeeding the revolution in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan, beating AKP -ISIS fascism.

We can reply to your question in a few articles:

1- Tabqa is liberated. Despite all the resistance and attacks of ISIS gangs, Syrian Democratic Forces (QSD) cleaned/saved another important foothold from ISIS: ISIS continues to lose against Kurdish and Arabic centered unified revolutionary forces. Now, the target QSD forces' focusing on is Raqqa. Fighting power for the freedom of Syrian and Middle Eastern people and by doing this, the power growing every day is QSD. People who realize this migrate to QSD areas. Losing ones are still ISIS and Turkey. A tough battle waits for QSD forces in Raqqa.

2- Coalition forces declared that they will act together with QSD forces in Raqqa operation. This statement emphasizes that coalition forces will act jointly with QSD forces in Syria and they are determined at this point. Even though Turkish state shelled Qaracox and Shingal, and by doing this, wanted to give a message to some environments; again despite diplomatic efforts of MIT undersecretary, chief of general staff and president’s counselor in USA; USA centered coalition forces’ declaring to act together with QSD just before Erdoğan’s visit and confirming sanctions of giving heavy weapons to QSD are developments that will bring major results. From now on, Turkey’s war policy against Syrian Democratic Forces means a dilemma on the relationship with USA. Since Turkey’s support to gangs now affects the areas under Russia’s influence more, it is not a priority. However, Turkey’s Qerecox and Shingal attacks and preparations for the occupation of Girê Spî are big problems for coalition forces. It seems that Turkey’s behaviors in Syria will be revised after Erdoğan-Trump meeting on May 16th.

3- Turkey’s Raqqa insistence would not be accepted. Turkey is not anymore seen among the forces which will shape the future in the war in Syria. Turkey is not casted too much of a role. It happens in this way despite Turkey's all insistence. Turkey cannot even help the gangs like it helped before with all kinds of weapons and human power,. It cannot make them fight in Syria anymore. When you look at the involuntary alliances with Russia centered forces, it loses its influence areas which it sustains via these gangs. It uses them as a bargain tool in the relationship with Russia. And Russia strengthens Esad’s position by taking these gangs under control. Turkey’s presence in Syria right now is restricted only with El-Bab front line.

4- Russia wants to hurry up. To accelerate the process, it prefers to give a direction to Turkey’s support to the gangs with the relationships developed with Turkey. And it succeeded this. It achieved this by letting Turkey reach until El-Bab, in a way, by ignoring Turkey doing it.

We will see what kind of new deals QSD choice of USA will create between Russia and Turkey on Syria context. Right now, Russia prefers to act cautiously. It gives messages by not taking a position against Kurds directly but keeping its silence about Turkey’s attacks to Kurds or from time to time letting these attacks a matter of threat.

How do you evaluate USA’s starting Raqqa operation with QSD and weapon help to them despite Turkey’s protests? After Qerecox attack, what does USA’s presence at Rojava border mean?

USA’s heavy weapon help to YPG drew attention and got reaction from many parts as expected. USA, for the first time, stated its weapon support so openly and determinedly. It was obliged to make this choice as war against ISIS and its Syrian policy requires it. As you know, Syrian policy set off with Arab spring, was organized based on the Turkey-Saudi Arabia-Qatar centered forces. When it failed, USA had no choice but turning its way to QSD. It should be interpreted that its declaring out loud with whom they are making Raqqa move, despite Turkish state’s pushing is a result of all these developments.

Qerecox and Shingal attack in a way, was a reply to USA’s QSD choice. It is understood that USA reads it like that. What is at the center of the tactical alliance of Democratic Syria Federation and USA is fight against ISIS. Turkey’s Rojava policy and the shape of its presence in Syria is the same with ISIS. Tactical alliance against ISIS today can also be interpreted as an unnamed alliance against Turkey because of its Rojava policy. Thus, we can approach USA’s presence at some points of the border in this context.

These developments indicate a new level of USA’s approach to Democratic Syrian Forces within USA’s Syria policy. It also shows that Turkey’s initial Rojava and Syria policy can not be maintained anymore.

YPG-YPJ used its right to retaliation against Turkish state by taking security measurements in the border line after Qerecox attack. It did not only give a military answer to Turkish state’s attack, but also our people reacted by going out to squares.

These actions have nothing to do with USA. It has nothing to do with tactical alliance. These can only mean that Rojava revolution keeps its political and ideological line. To keep up with this line, Syrian Democratic Federation also needs to be strengthened militarily. People aspect of keeping this line is important, but unarmed people cannot defend itself. Because one of the most important tool of war and defense is weapon. For this reason, weaponizing is obligatory for both defending the liberated lands and liberating new areas. Under circumstances that war is carried out by heavy weapons and are unequal in that sense, taking these kind of tactical steps is sometimes necessary. Besides, there is no need to be afraid as long as we are holding the weapon. It is not a danger but a power for us to reach our political and ideological goals as long as we have the courage to use it. The practice so far is in this direction.

Considering the ideological effects of this tactical relationship, it brings us more responsibility towards the concerns about Rojava revolution. It commands us to raise the revolution struggle and international solidarity everywhere with higher energy. What brings  us gain in this period is to act with the power and belief which is produced by the opportunities of revolution, not with fears coming from concerns.

Some of the International Freedom Battalion warriors fighting in the Wrath of Euphrates move who wanted to go back to their country were taken into custody by KDP’s public order police. How does dirty alliance of KDP-Turkey affect the Raqqa move?

These custodies have proven how much KDP is afraid of the international interest to Rojava revolution. It reflects the efforts of preventing the revolutionary support and solidarity which Rojava revolution’s international character attracts. Custodies, are an  extension of KDP’s treacherous line against Kurdish freedom forces and Rojava revolution. We can comment on international fighters’ custody in this way.

We may add the following to your question: After today, it is out of question that KDP-AKP alliance can seriously affect Raqqa operation. This alliance drives KDP into a Kurdish war. As Barzani family lost its influence on Kurds, by collaborating with Turkey or even raising this to the treason level, it points out that KDP can go into a Kurdish war.

Moreover, it was also the main purpose of the coordinated attacks to Medya Defense Zones and Shingal. By keeping the attacks towards these zones alive all the time, by military stacks to these zones and waiting readily; they want to make an impact on the course of the operation. Turkey is doing its best for ISIS not to be defeated. With the collaboration of KDP’s treacherous line, there is no doubt that they will do everything they can do to cut in Kurdish freedom forces and Rojava revolution’s improving.

In Middle East, Kurdish freedom mentality is developing on the basis of Rojava revolution. It draws attention of all Kurds. More importantly, together with the Middle Eastern people, Kurds have created a new political line. This line emerging from Rojava revolution shines on both today and future. KDP’s line, on the other hand, represents the past, defeating and betrayal. This is the main reason why it is not seen as a solution for today or near future. Hence, they are in panic. They found an escape exit through deepening the collaboration with AKP and in struggling against Kurds new acquisitions.

Turkish state wanted to block the Tabqa and Raqqa operation by executing Qerecox attack and the operation halted for a while. Can a probable Shingal and Rojava attack affect the Raqqa move?

Turkey’s stopping this move today is impossible. It may only slow it down and result in elongating the move by this. These kind of developments should be evaluated as only tactical leveled effects. But Turkey can try to stay in the game by new attacks just before or after Erdoğan-Trump meeting. These attacks can only affect Raqqa move’s pace temporarily. It can be expected and would be an understandable result. Besides, Kurdish freedom forces and Democratic Syria Federation want to turn these attacks to an opportunity in diplomatic and political fields. Turkish state’s each military attack to these areas in significance will turn into a possibility which lets Democratic Syria Forces come of stronger in the diplomatic and political fields by making it an effective struggle matter on the international level as it also has the right to respond militarily. The developments resulted from these attacks can only restrict Turkish state’s influence zone and strengthen Democratic Syria Force’s hand. Military response and retaliation after Qaracox and Shingal attacks improved the freedom line both in international field and in the eyes of Kurds and other peoples from region. It flourishes its self-confidence.

Considering these developments, what kind of tasks do the Turkey-Northern Kurdistan’s vanguard powers and peoples have? What should be done?

Turkish colonialist regime’s Kurdish fear grows day by day. This fear has grown so much that it makes the persons in charge of Turkish state unable to think of anything but fight against Kurds. Turkish colonialist regime is in a big deadlock. Even though it tries to use every leverage it has, nothing is happening as it wants. This reality of Turkey is a great opportunity for revolutionary forces. Yet, in order not to leave it only as an opportunity, revolutionist vanguards should consider their positions thoroughly. Revolutionary vanguard’s performances so far, its struggle styles, its struggle tools and organizational requirements are not enough for this period to gather all the revolutionary opportunities into itself.

Rojava revolution and struggle dynamics in Northern Kurdistan are precious potentials for Turkey-Northern Kurdistan unified revolution. The difference of this potential from yesterday is that today, it so much closer to revolution. Besides, Turkey’s deciding its foreign policy on the war axis creates regional and international possibilities to grow for the benefit of revolution.

To appraise these or combining the revolutionary possibilities with the revolution, hesitations towards Rojava and standing aloof from it must come to an end. By reasoning the revolution’s tactical military alliance with USA and other coalition forces, some antifascist, progressive forces’ remaining distant or even heading to denigrating it, is both irresponsible and inconsistent. Because, those who do these things on behalf of anti-imperialism, do not have an inclination of improving Rojava revolution, making it a struggle focus in the eyes of people. Let alone this, in concrete terms, those who do not even raise their voices against fascist Turkish bourgeois state’s attacks with war-planes to Rojava, to Shingal have all these empty anti-imperialist fairy tales. Right now, Rojava, Northern Kurdistan and Medya Defense Zones contain big opportunities for those who claim for revolution. The existence of these areas develops the Turkey’s crisis for the benefit of revolution. Misunderstanding of these areas' benefits also prevents comprehending the revolution and its possibilities.

Turkey peoples’ and its revolutionist vanguards’ response to Turkish state’s invading war against Rojava, Shingal and Medya Defense Zones must be expanding the revolutionary war. What is more significant, is to actuate all the actions and practices based on also mass violences in the western parts with a particular agenda to keep fascist state’s reckless attacks away from revolutionary and free zones. Against the invader army’s attacks, all kinds of unified actions and activities that rally all parts should be used.