IDPs Afrin: We will not return as long as Turkish occupation; its mercenaries continue

IDPs from Afrin and al-Shahba cantons, residing in Aleppo city, hold the Damascus government and international parties responsible for ignoring the safe return of the displaced individuals to their areas. They explained that this undermines the people's confidence in these parties and questions their integrity.

Muhammad Ali Arif, Afrin refugee, contributed, "We have been displaced for eight years. We were displaced once again at the end of last year when we were forced to leave al-Shahba as the Turkish occupation mercenaries declared their occupation of the area, after we had defended ourselves for more than seven years in camps and under hard humanitarian conditions."

Muhammad raised an eyebrow regarding the legitimacy of the Damascus regime, citing the agreement between Syrian Democratic Forces commander Mazloum Abdi and Ahmed al-Sharaa on March 10, where he said, "It was a good step toward securing the rights of the communities and guarding their privacy. One of its most prominent provisions was (guaranteeing the safe return of the displaced). But the failure to support these words with action erodes its credibility."

He blamed the Damascus authorities for slowing down the return process, stating, "The Autonomous Administration is helping to make this agreement a success, but the procrastination of the Damascus authorities is slowing down the implementation of its provisions."

He went on to say, "There are a few cases of displaced persons returning to Afrin, but they are being threatened and extorted by mercenaries of the Turkish occupation. It's the responsibility of the Damascus authorities to stop these paralyzing operations, and their silence today is not only unjustifiable and does not help instill confidence in this authority."

Consequently, Adoul Hamoud Safar reiterated the necessity of the complete withdrawal of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries, highlighting that expelling the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries is an obligation of the Damascus authorities.

Meanwhile, Sabri Ali, IDP from the same canton, condemned the atrocities and intimidation to which the population is subjected by the mercenaries in occupied Afrin, declaring, "As soon as the occupier leaves completely, we will come back and we will not accept any presence of these mercenaries in our zone. We observe, as usual, the international powers remaining silent because the victims are Kurds. They must stop their silence and ensure the secure return of the displaced, whose patience is drained while they remain displaced."

T/S

ANHA