IDPs from Serê Kaniyê urge Damascus to enforce March 10 Agreement

The forcibly displaced from Serê Kaniyê are suffering dire conditions in the camps due to a lack of basic services, soaring temperatures, and insufficient drinking water. These hardships have been exacerbated by the Turkish occupation’s cutoff of water from the Alouk station to the city of Hasaka and its countryside.

Approximately 2,519 families, totaling 15,650 individuals, live in the Serê Kaniyê camp in the Hasaka countryside, after Turkey and its allied mercenaries occupied their city in October 2019.

Calls for Implementation of the March 10 Agreement

Bashar Kosh, a displaced resident living in the camp, said:

"It is unimaginable to endure the suffering of those who have lost their homes and belongings and now live in modest tents dependent on humanitarian organizations. The conditions are extremely dire, and all we want is to return to our homes."

He added: “We fear this camp could become a permanent reality that we are forced to live with, which we will never accept. This tragedy must end, and the suffering of the thousands of displaced persons awaiting return must be addressed."

Kosh emphasized that their hopes had been pinned on the agreement signed between the General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, and the Prime Minister of Damascus, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, which stipulates the safe return of displaced persons to their homes. However, he stated:"We demand the implementation of the agreement, yet until now, none of its provisions have been applied due to Damascus’s evasion. There have been no real guarantees or steps taken to ensure our return."

He called for a safe and dignified return to their city and villages, holding the transitional government responsible for the continued suffering of the displaced in the camps.

 He stressed that their return should be a top priority, alongside efforts to remove Turkish occupation forces from Syrian territory, protect the Syrian people, and uphold national responsibilities regarding the occupied lands.

Another displaced resident, Abdul Razzaq Muhammad, spoke about the harsh humanitarian conditions in the camp, saying:"The suffering we endure here is severe. We lack basic necessities, and our children suffer greatly, especially in the summer heat inside the tents."

He added:"This camp was expected to be temporary, but the displacement has lasted far longer than anticipated, and our hardships have intensified due to the absence of sustained humanitarian support."

Muhammad reiterated his demand for a safe return to his city and home, calling on the Damascus government to implement the March 10 agreement, which stipulates the return and protection of displaced persons.

He continued: "Unfortunately, the Damascus government continues to delay the implementation of the agreement and makes no genuine effort to facilitate our return, unlike other camps where displaced persons have been allowed to return voluntarily. We urgently call on the authorities to ensure our return to our homes, which were stolen and destroyed by the Turkish occupation and its militias."

The agreement signed between the General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, and the Prime Minister of Damascus, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, includes eight provisions, one of which guarantees the return of all displaced Syrians to their towns and villages and ensures their protection by the Syrian state.

a.k

ANHA