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In case you forgot, the Kurdish people are still under attack after Trump's abrupt decision to abandon them in Syria last October. Kurds are using #TurkeyInvadesKurdistan to raise awareness.
Here is a THREAD to recap the chain of events and what is happening now:
Here is a THREAD to recap the chain of events and what is happening now:
On September 3, 2019, the US convinced its Kurdish allies in Syria to dismantle all their defenses against a possible Turkish attack. The US told the Kurds it would be a gesture of goodwill.
The US also promised the Kurds that it would not allow Turkey to attack them. (1/12)
The US also promised the Kurds that it would not allow Turkey to attack them. (1/12)
October 7, 2019: Donald Trump tweeted his decision to abandon US protection of ethnic #Kurds in Syria.
The Kurdish people were America's "boots-on-the-ground" in the fight against ISIS.
#Trump's tweet blindsided the Kurds and shocked many US military officials (2/12)
The Kurdish people were America's "boots-on-the-ground" in the fight against ISIS.
#Trump's tweet blindsided the Kurds and shocked many US military officials (2/12)
The decision came after a late night private phone call between #Trump and Turkey's authoritarian president, Recep Erdogan.
Trump ignored all US military and intelligence advice. (3/12)
Trump ignored all US military and intelligence advice. (3/12)
The next day, #Turkey launched an ethnic cleansing campaign targeting Kurds in #Syria.
Hundreds of Kurds, including civilians and journalists, were killed over the next few weeks.
Millions were displaced. (4/12)
Hundreds of Kurds, including civilians and journalists, were killed over the next few weeks.
Millions were displaced. (4/12)
Among those brutally murdered by Turkey's militias was Hevrin Khalaf, a Kurdish politician widely regarded as "Syria's peacemaker".
She was responsible for uniting #Syria's many communities and brokering peace across the country. (5/12)
She was responsible for uniting #Syria's many communities and brokering peace across the country. (5/12)
Syrian territory previously liberated from #ISIS control by America's Kurdish allies were captured by Turkish-backed militias with known ties to both al-Qaeda and ISIS. (6/12)
Turkey claims it's targeting separatists but mounting evidence shows #ethniccleansing is the true objective (7/12)
Turkey has recently expanded its campaign into #Iraq's Kurdistan Region where it continues targeting Kurds, Assyrians, and Yezidis, all stateless people with no international representation. (8/12)
The #Yezidis, who are still recovering from a genocide by ISIS, were Turkey's first target. They began fleeing attacks on the town of Sinjar on June 15, 2020. (9/12)
This recent video taken on June 26, 2020 sparked further outrage among #Kurds. (Trigger warning: A family enjoying the summer moments before a Turkish airstrike hits.) (10/12)
What can be done? A reversal of Donald Trump's disastrous decision and a no-fly zone to protect civilians from #Turkey's airstrikes. So far, despite their general disapproval of #Trump's decision, US Congress and the EU have failed to act. (11/12)
Many humanitarian groups left the region after #Turkey's attacks due for safety reasons. But the #Kurdish Red Crescent (Heyva Sor) remains there to provide relief for refugees. They accept donations @ https://www.paypal.me/heyvasoruk (12/12)
