Displaced residents of Serêkaniyê begin series of sit-ins demands return to their city

Dissatisfaction is mounting among displaced persons from Serêkaniyê due to continued delays in implementing plans for their return to the city—despite six months having passed since the January 29 agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian Interim Government, which stipulated guarantees for the safe return of the displaced.

More than 80,000 displaced people from Serêkaniyê and its countryside are living in the cities of Jazera and Kobani, as well as in shelters and displacement camps, facing dire humanitarian conditions amidst a complete lack of concrete steps to facilitate their return home.

According to those involved in the matter, several obstacles continue to hinder the return process—foremost among them the presence of settlers in the displaced residents' homes and the need to clear landmines and war remnants. Meanwhile, ongoing meetings between the Serêkaniyê displaced persons' committee and interim government authorities have yet to yield tangible results.

At the same time, violations within the city persist, including the looting and vandalism of displaced residents' homes, as well as demands by some settlers for payment in exchange for vacating the properties.

Faced with the continued postponement of the return issue, activists among the displaced population of Serêkaniyê have announced plans for a series of peaceful sit-ins to demand a safe return to their city. The first of these is set to begin tomorrow, Sunday, in the city of Hasaka, with the participation of displaced residents, community leaders, and cultural and political figures, all aiming to assert the displaced population's right to return and to reject the ongoing stalling regarding this issue.

Sh-S

ANHA