‘Turkey's attacks are forcing people to migrate again’

2024-12-12 10:29:23


	 

	 

	RIHA - Thousands of Afrin residents of Shahba, one of the places where Turkey and its SMO gangs launched an attack against the Autonomous Administration regions, were evacuated to safe areas, while Zeynep Suleyman, Director of Afrin Human Rights Organisation, said, "The people were displaced twice, but the resistance against the attacks continues."

	 

	Hayyet Tahrir al-Sham (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) captured many cities after its attacks on Heleb on 26 November, while the Baath regime fell on 8 December. Taking advantage of HTS's attacks, Turkey and the Turkish-affiliated Syrian National Army (SMO) groups launched attacks against the regions controlled by the Autonomous Administration in Northern and Eastern Syria.

	 

	In 2018, after Turkey's attacks on Afrin, tens of thousands of Afrin residents were forced to migrate to camps in Shahba. While more than 100,000 people were living in the region, Turkey and its affiliated groups took advantage of HTS's attacks on other regions and turned towards Shahba. As a result, people in Shahba were forced to evacuate to safe areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration.

	 

	Zeynep Suleyman, Director of the Efrin-Syria Human Rights Organisation, spoke to JINNEWS about the evacuation of Efrin residents from Shahba and the attacks of Turkey and its SMO gangs.

	 

	Displaced for the second time

	 

	Stating that the people of Afrin were displaced for the second time, Zeynep Suleyman reminded that the people of Afrin were forced to migrate to Shahba in 2018 due to Turkey's attacks. Zeynep Suleiman stated that the people of Afrin living in Şehba were displaced again with the latest attacks of the SMO and used the following words "What happened in recent days was worse than the attacks on Efrin in 2018. Because there were attacks from many sides. Thousands of people set out from the villages of Shahba and tried to cross to safe areas. They tried to go towards Tebqa, Reqa, Minbic, Kobanê and Dêrik, where the Autonomous Administration is located. Currently, those in Tebqa are trying to be resettled."

	 

	‘There are currently 30 thousand people in Shehba’

	 

	Stating that the Autonomous Administration is trying to evacuate the people to safe areas with vehicles, Zeynep Suleiman said the following: "We are currently staying in Tebqa. The main request of the people is to move to safe areas. The people are experiencing the same tragedy for the second time. There were pregnant women among those who travelled from Şehba with us. There were even women who had to give birth inside the vehicles. Where is the United Nations (UN) right now? Why is it silent? Those who remain silent in the face of these attacks are complicit in this crime. Why did everyone withdraw from the region and leave civilians to face the attacks? The defence forces defending the people are showing great resistance against these attacks. There are currently about 30 thousand people in Şehba. The situation of those who remain there is not clear. However, we will resist against all kinds of attacks together with our people and defence forces."