Syria: Aleppo residents mark 83rd anniversary of Turkey’s 'annexation' of Hatay, protest airstrikes

Residents of Aleppo gathered on Tuesday to commemorate the 83rd anniversary of what they see as the 'annexation' by Turkey of 'Liwa Iskenderun', or modern-day Hatay province. The crowds also condemned recent Turkish airstrikes in Syria. Footage shows dozens of residents and officials in Saadallah Al-Jabri Square, holding banners and Syrian flags. "We gather here today to denounce the Turkish attacks on our territories" said Jumana Radwan, a member of the Syrian communist party. "We know that Turkey is trying to expand its control over new territories inside Syria, but we have not forgotten the Sanjak of Alexandretta 'Liwa Iskenderun' and will not allow them to occupy new territories," she claimed. The Hatay region became part of Turkey following a referendum in 1939, which the Syrian government disputed and has never formally recognised. Ankara launched a series of air strikes on Kurdish militants last week, specifically on the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria, and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party's (PKK) areas of northern Iraq. Turkey considers the PKK a terrorist group, and YPG to be the organisation’s 'affiliate'. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the latest campaign was 'just the beginning' of an operation to secure his country’s southern border, and said he would launch a land operation 'when convenient'. The strikes came a week after a bomb attack in Istanbul, which killed six and injured 80. The Kurdish groups denied responsibility. Copied from page https://www.ruptly.tv/en/videos/20221129-033-syria-aleppo-residents-mark-83rd-anniversary-of-turkey-s-annexation-of-hatay-protest-airstrikes