IDPs from Serê Kaniyê demand safe return and withdrawal of occupiers

Thousands of displaced families from Serê Kaniyê are living under harsh conditions in the Newroz Camp in the city of Dêrik, in the Jazira Canton, following the 2019 Turkish invasion and occupation of the city, which forced residents to flee their homes.

A displaced woman, Aaliya al-Khalid, said: “We want to go back to our homes. We’ve been living in tents for six years — how much longer will this continue? When will we return to our villages and our city?”

She added: “Even if we had all the necessities of life here, they could never replace our homes, our land, and our memories. Returning isn’t just about having a place to live — it’s about reclaiming an entire life that was taken from us. The occupiers must be expelled so we can return immediately.”

No Return Without Liberation

Another woman, Khawla Suleiman Hassan, from the village of al-Arisha near Serê Kaniyê, emphasized that return is only possible after the expulsion of the occupiers: “We want a safe route to go back. We want to rebuild our homes that the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries destroyed,” she said firmly.

Meanwhile, Wadha Mohammed, also displaced from Serê Kaniyê, expressed a mix of exhaustion and hope: “We’re tired of being away from our homes. We want nothing but a safe return that preserves our dignity and our rights.”

The Newroz Camp, located north of Dêrik in the Jazira Canton, was established in 2014 to host families displaced from Shingal following attacks by ISIS mercenaries. Today, it shelters thousands of families forcibly displaced from Serê Kaniyê and Girê Spî after Turkey’s offensive on October 9, 2019.

Although Shingal has since been liberated and most of its residents have returned, many of the camp’s current residents — including those displaced from Afrin — still await the day they can safely return home.

a.k

ANHA