After eight years, first convoy of displaced people from Afrin arrives home

Yesterday afternoon, the first convoy of displaced people from Afrin, comprising 400 families who fled their homes during the Turkish offensive in early 2018, departed from the city of Hasakah towards the city of Afrin.

The return of the displaced people comes as part of the implementation of the January 29 agreement signed between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian Interim Government.

The convoy consisted of hundreds of private cars belonging to the displaced people and buses provided for their transport by the Afrin-Shahba Displaced Persons Council and the Syrian Civil Defense.

The displaced people were accompanied by Internal Security Forces, the Deputy Commander of the Internal Security Forces in Hasaka, Mahmoud Khalil, the Asayish (internal security forces) commander, Nisreen Abdullah, and other government officials involved in this matter.

The convoy passed through the cities of Raqqa, Tabqa, and Aleppo before reaching Afrin, arriving in the early hours of this morning. Dozens of residents welcomed them with traditional Afrin music, including the daf and zurna.

The Internal Security Forces in Hasaka announced on March 7 that the first group of displaced people from Afrin would return to their homes on March 9, noting that this group would head to Shiyeh, Jinderes, and Mobata in the Afrin countryside.

The deputy commander of the Internal Security Forces in Hasaka, Mahmoud Khalil, said yesterday that work is underway to open a security crossing towards Afrin within three days to facilitate the return of the remaining displaced people, with the aim of returning all displaced people to their areas before Nowruz on March 21

Sh-S

ANHA