Afrin Yezidis: Turkish occupation destroys our religious sites

HANAN MOHEMED /AL_SHAHBA

A number of Afrin people from Yezidi community who have been forced to leave their homes for fearing committing crimes against them expressed their bitter resentment at crimes committed by the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries from the kidnapping, looting, theft and vandalism of the martyrs' graves and destruction of their holy sites in Afrin.

In this regard, citizen Abdo Khalo from Kafer Zita in Afrin canton of the Yezidi community said, "We came out of Afrin to preserve our honor and preserve our religion from the genocide practiced by the Turkish occupation and its factions against civilians."

Abdo added "They are working to vandalize our holy shrines, steal and plunder our property, and claim to be Muslims. These acts do not belong to the principles of any religion."

Abdo said "Turkey's gangs force the people who could not get out of Afrin to convert to Islam by imposing veils on their women and forcing them to pray and fast, whoever violates these laws has to pay heavy fines, this aims to exterminate our religion."

In her turn, citizen Qadrat Batal spoke about of Turkish occupation's shelling against Afrin city's people causing massive destruction to our city so we were forced to leave our city for fearing genocide by Turkey 's gangs like what has happened in Şengal province, they are working to vandalism our holy sites, and describe us as infidels.

She also questioned the international silence of these violations against the people of Afrin including crimes and rape.

As for the citizen Kamiran Khalo, he said that Afrin people will not accept the Turkish occupation "bombarding civilians with various types of heavy weapons and internationally prohibited amidst shameful international silence."

And added "We used to visit to our temples on holidays and religious occasions, those temples existed in Fakira village in Janders district and Qatal Jando village in Shara district, but now Turkish occupation's gangs have destroyed these shrines and religious statues of our religion."

He also called on international organizations and human rights organizations to ensure that people return to their homes.

(T/S)

ANHA