What is importance of liberating Hajin Town?

LEZGIN IBRAHIM/NEWS DESK

After the liberation of the entire desert of al-Jazeera and the villages, towns and cities in the southern al-Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor villages within al-Jazeera Tempest campaign, which is estimated at 71360 km 2 and 191 km long, the SDF fighters continue their advance in all battles to defeat terrorism in the last stages of al-Jazeera Tempest campaign, amid the intensification of battles in the center of Hajin town.

History and location of Hajin Town

It is located on the left bank of the Euphrates River in Syria. It is surrounded by rivers on three sides, where its hamlets and houses are spread over a fertile plain .

The town of Hajin is 110 km from Deir ez-Zor and about 35 km from al-Bukamal city. The town is estimated at 250 km2 without the desert section, while its area with the desert section is about 1250 km 2.

The town dates back almost 265 years. The town is was known for its fast-paced camels which were called "Hejen " so that it was called "Hajin" because of its people who were grazing the camels.

The village is located in a number of villages and hamlets: the eastern and western Granij, al-Kushikiya, Abu Hammam, al-Bahra, Hawamah, Abu al-Khater and Abu al-Hassan.

The town includes several neighborhoods, including al-Souk, Hawar neighborhood, al-Qalaa al-Ashrin. It is connected to the city of Deir ez-Zor along the Euphrates River and another road linking it to the city of Albu Kamal.

Natural Life in Hajin

The village is characterized by a large number of herds of deer and rabbits and wild animals in it; it is a green and fertile land, and abundant fresh water for the fall on the northern bank of the Euphrates, and abundant trees, especially poplar willow so it is a densely populated areas.

Most of the inhabitants of the town work in agriculture, especially cotton, wheat, sugar beet, vegetables and fruit trees, including palm trees. A section of the population also raises livestock such as sheep and cows.

Clans of Hajin town and their culture

The largest Arab clan is living in the town which is  Al-Buhardan clan, attributed to al-Abid tribe, who are residents of Kirkuk city originally came to Syria following family differences between them and their uncles, where this clan is divided into several sub-groups:

Al-Buhardan, currently constitute 60% of the total population in the city.

Al-Bukhaatar: these are currently living in the middle part of the city and make up about 13% of the population.

Al-Damim tribe; their percentages differ from those of the remaining tribes, where they come from tribes that inhabited the Arabian Peninsula, live in the western part of the city and make up 17% of the population.

 The majority of whom are immigrants to the Gulf States. A large proportion of them live in the town of Ramadi, accounting for about 7% of the population.

They live in the eastern neighborhood, they are the descendants of the Iraqi al-Abid tribe, mostly immigrants to the Gulf States, and a large proportion of them in the town of Ramadi, and make up about 7% of the population.

The population of non-Arabs (Kurds - Turkmen) and a group of Bani Jahsh tribe of Arab origin.

The sons of Hajin region educated and have university degrees such as engineering, pharmacy, medicine and other scientific degrees.

After the takeover of IS mercenaries, the majority of the region's educated people went to neighboring countries such as the Arabian Gulf and Iraq.

Infrastructure and service in Hajin

Hajin was a small village which relies on agriculture and livestock and lacks basic services.

The village became a city under the Syrian Decree No. 42 of 1991. The city plan was prepared, roads were paved, the city was electrified, the semi-automatic telephone network, the drinking water station, the police station, the district headquarters, the manual carpet factory, the health center, the construction of the electricity center, the urban center, the agriculture department, the telephone center, the consumer center, the consumer society, the schools were built throughout the city and the countryside, and the drinking water and sewage system was implemented in a large part of the city's neighborhoods.

A hospital was established, and two independent medical centers and a medical school were established for the city. It has a special hospital, a branch of the Agricultural Bank in the city, and an educational complex of the Ministry of Education. The fire station is fully equipped with its crews, and the railway bridge linking the banks of the Euphrates River was built and is a vital project for the city.

Hajin situations during the Syrian crisis

At the beginning of the Syrian crisis, armed groups calling themselves the "Free Army" dominated a Hajin town after the withdrawal of the Syrian regime forces in late 2013. The Free Army exploited young men and families with them by tempting them with the money they stole from the Syrian people. The "Free Army" handed over the town to IS mercenaries and withdrew from the city and with the handover of the region to IS without any battles, the latter committed massacres against the people who were implicated by the Free Army to join their ranks and forced young people to join the IS ranks.

The strategic importance of Hajin

With the announcement of the "battle to defeat terrorism" the last stages of al-Jazeera Tempest campaign, the campaign was designed to target the last strategic stronghold of IS mercenaries east of the Euphrates River.

According to military leaders, Hajin area is surrounded by three sides with water. It is considered a shallow area with many hamlets. It is considered the largest stronghold of IS in the eastern bank of the Euphrates .

Thousands of foreign IS and leaders have made the city a stronghold over the period of al-Jazeera Tempest campaign and gradually withdraw to this point in addition to al-Shifa and al-Sousse towns.

The letter of Hajin people to the Syrian Democratic Forces:

After the increase of injustice and violations of IS mercenaries, of killing and slaughter, massacres and displacement, the people appealed SDF to free them of IS by a written letter which said,"

We, as a people in Hajin town, are self-reliant and do not need anyone, There are very few people in the city who have joined IS ,we are all ready to participate in the liberation of the town."

Declaration of the "battle to defeat terrorism"

On September 11, 2018, the Syrian Democratic Forces announced in a statement the launching of the last phase of al-Jazeera Tempest campaign to eliminate mercenaries in their last strongholds in the villages and towns of Hsin, Sousse and Shifa. Which is the last phase of al-Jazeera Tempest campaign to liberate the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor.

In announcing the launch of the final phase of the battle to defeat terrorism, SDF and international coalition forces have organized their campaign to secure a safe exit for civilians in the city who have been abducted or captured by IS who use them as human shields in their movements and attacks.

During the second phase of al-Jazeera Tempest campaign.

So far, SDF forces have managed to open several safe corridors and have liberated thousands of civilians who have been living a life of terror under an oppressive siege by IS.

Temporary camp was opened for Hajin people

In conjunction with the progress of Syria's Democratic Forces towards Hajin and the freeing of civilians on a continuous basis, the other side of Deir Ez-Zor civil council in coordination with the Syria's Democratic Council worked to provide the needs of displaced of Hajin area, where the opening of a temporary camp for them was created by the council to provide all the food, health and housing needs of the people.

After the liberation of Hajin, SDF will carry out extensive combings operations to secure this desert and open the door for civilians to return safely and organize themselves in their councils to remove darkness and blackness and return the life to the Syrian desert.

Now, SDF and the international coalition are approaching to end IS presence in northeastern Syria, after the forces entered and liberated Hajin, almost entirely, amid continued combing operation to end IS mercenaries in Hajin town.

ANHA