Agriculture, clinging to land represent kind of resistance against occupiers

The people of the rural areas of Girê Spi and Ain Issa depend on agriculture as their primary source of income, and they refuse to leave it despite being directly targeted by the Turkish occupier and its mercenaries after the occupation of the city of Girê Spi in late 2019.

The Turkish occupation and its mercenaries target farmers and burn crops with missiles on a daily basis. The location of agricultural lands on the contact lines causes an increase in the wages of the machinery needed for agriculture (tractors - harvesters), in addition to increase in wages of workers, as these areas expose their lives to danger. That is why, the farmers reduce the area of agricultural land.

Civilian Hassan Muhammad Hussein Al-Sheikh, 27 years old, a father of two children, from the village of Al-Mukhallat, died as a result of being hit by a sniper bullet from the Turkish occupier on the 20th of April, while he was irrigating his land located near the village of Um Al-Barameel.

During a tour of ANAH agency’s correspondents on agricultural lands, they met the farmer Majid Muhammad, who was guarding his land, he said that agriculture is his source of income, and he insists on farming despite the risks.

He noted: “The occupation and mercenaries target agricultural machinery and farmers with light and medium weapons and heavy artillery shells at the beginning of every harvest season.”

He explained: “The occupation and its mercenaries intensify the bombing during the agricultural season. In recent years, large areas have been burned."

Muhammad stressed that cultivating the land is resistant, and he will not leave it."

In turn, farmer Hussein Al-Ali said that they are facing difficulty on the contact lines even in obtaining agricultural support from the concerned authorities, as field inspection committees cannot reach them for fear of being targeted by the Turkish occupation army.

Al-Ali stressed that the owners of agricultural machinery take double amounts from them if they plow or harvest their agricultural lands because the area is dangerous and that they are deprived of even benefiting from crop residues to make them fodder for livestock or collect their straw."

In turn, he confirmed that agriculture and clinging to the land is resistance against the occupiers.

a.k

ANHA