Afrin Women: we demand safe return

Displaced Afrin women in Hasakah are facing difficult circumstances, and members of the Afrin Displaced Persons Committee spoke to ANHA's agency about this issue.

"Our demand is a safe return."

Maryam Musa, who spent seven years in the Shahba camps before being displaced this time to Hasakah at the end of 2024, said, "The difficulties were not limited to Shahba. There are many difficulties here as well, especially with the lack of adequate electricity and water. We don't want anything from anyone. We had property in Afrin, and we owned olive trees. We don't want anything. We just want to return to Afrin safely and peacefully."

"Let the mercenaries leave Afrin."

Mediya Hanan, one of the displaced people from Afrin, explained that they face difficulties in all aspects of life. She said, "The situation is difficult, whether in summer or winter. We suffer from power and water outages. This is on the one hand, and on the other hand, children get sick. There are no health facilities, and hospitals are far from our location. We also suffer from financial difficulties."

Mediya pointed out the ongoing crimes of the Turkish occupation's mercenaries in Afrin, and that residents are subjected to violence and attacks every day. There is no security or safety in Afrin. She pointed to the murder of Mustafa Sheikho in the city of Jandaris on June 19, and questioned whether this was the security they claim to have established. She emphasized that Afrin's displaced people will not return to the city unless the mercenaries leave.

"Our struggle is to return to Afrin."

For her part, Berivan Hassan, who spent seven years in al-Shahba, expressed her hope and desire to return to Afrin. She said, "We lived in al-Shahba in the summer heat, and now we live in Hasakah. Our only wish is to return to our homes again."

Hevin Rashid, a member of the Afrin and al-Shahba Displaced Persons Committee in Hasakah, noted the arrival of Afrin residents to areas of northeastern Syria after the occupation of al-Shahba.

Hevin noted the cooperation of the Directorates of Displaced Persons and municipalities to assist the displaced in every way possible. She said, "We in the Afrin Displaced Persons Committee are in contact with all international institutions and organizations to overcome the current difficulties."

Hevin also spoke about the difficulties in the health and education sectors, saying, "The children of Afrin have faced many difficulties since their displacement from Shahba to this region. Many of them have not attended school, so students will also be supported in the next academic year. As for health, there are no health centers in the area where the displaced live, and the existing hospitals are very far away. Therefore, we will contact the Kurdish Red Crescent to establish health centers."

Hevin concluded by saying, "The transitional government in Syria must do its duty and stop the crimes in Afrin. All the displaced people in Syria have returned to their homes, and only the displaced people of Afrin, Serêkaniyê, and Gire Spi remain. We will fight here as well, and we will not return until security is restored."

T/S

ANHA