Syria

On February 6, 2023, two earthquakes of magnitude 7.8 and 7.7 hit southern Turkey and Northern and Western Syria, inflicting tremendous damage. The death tolls are currently estimated at over 48,400 in Turkey and 7200 in Syria. The following texts offer two different vantage points on the ways that the Turkish and Syrian governments not only failed to protect their subjects but used this catastrophe as an opportunity to consolidate power and target their adversaries via neglect, blockading, and even bombing.

The Kurds' reward for defeating ISIS is being sold out to a psychotic dictator. "World's Greatest Dealmaker" indeed.

When I got there, I had to find my way to one of DAF’s 26A cafés, based in Taksim (the main district of the European side of Istanbul). I was going to be picked up, but as the Turkish state had invaded Northern Syria a few days before, everyone in DAF was at an emergency meeting. When I got to the 26A café, I was met by several comrades, who gave me food, tea and a long explanation of who they were. I was happy that one of them asked which pronouns I preferred (they/them), and I explained my appreciation of this; they were shocked to hear how some people who call themselves feminists are transphobic in the UK, and started to talk about how this could be possible, also noting how ridiculous this was!