Displaced Afrin residents demand safe return

Displaced people from Afrin spoke about their suffering under harsh humanitarian conditions after being forcibly displaced more than once due to the war and attacks that affected the region. They emphasized one main demand: a safe return to their city, free from fear and violations.

Four Waves of Displacement… Ongoing Suffering

The displaced woman Latifa Sido said she had been displaced three times over the past years, noting that each time their suffering as a family worsened and their sense of instability increased.

She added: “We want a safe return to Afrin with our forces, and the factions must leave. We cannot return without real guarantees to protect us. We want to live in safety and dignity in our city.”

For his part, Mohammed Mohammed explained that he was also displaced three times. He pointed out that one wave of displacement was extremely harsh, as they walked on cold and dangerous roads, saw bodies along the way, and had children with them.

He added: “We feared for our children every moment. They lost years of education because of repeated displacement, and the situation is very difficult. We cannot return unless the return is completely safe and guaranteed.”

Obstacles to Return

Meanwhile, Shirin Mustafa confirmed that she was displaced four times. She noted that the continued presence of factions supported by the Turkish occupation and the crimes committed against the original residents of Afrin constitute a major obstacle preventing people from returning.

She continued that they cannot return as long as there is killing, looting, and fear, saying: “If we are to return, it must be a safe and dignified return, without the violations that forced us to flee being repeated.”

The displaced stress that their ongoing suffering will only end with a safe and dignified return to Afrin, away from fear, violations, and the cycle of repeated displacement.

ANHA