occupation, demographic change obstruct return of IDPs from Serekaniye

Since Turkey and its allied armed groups occupied the cities of Afrin in 2018 and Serekaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Gire Spi (Tel Abyad) in 2019, hundreds of thousands of civilians have been forcibly displaced under bombardment and widespread violations. The majority now live in camps and shelters across northeast Syria.

Years after their displacement, the dream of returning to their occupied cities remains a daily preoccupation for the forcibly displaced. Yet, they are aware that the road to return is fraught with challenges and risks. In a survey conducted by ANHA agency, displaced women from Serekaniye, now residing in Tel Tamr, unanimously agreed that returning without real security guarantees would mean the return of danger.

Maha Al-Wajri, a displaced woman from Serekaniye, said:

“We want to go back to our city, but not into the unknown. As long as the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries remain, our lives will be at risk. We need international guarantees that protect us and ensure our right to our land and homes.”

She added:

“A safe return does not only mean reopening the roads; it means the withdrawal of Turkish forces, an end to the violations, and the reinstatement of our local institutions to manage the area. The return must be collective and include all those displaced from their occupied cities.”

From the countryside of occupied Serekaniye, Muneera Al-Khalil said that the Turkish occupation is the root of the crisis, as the occupied areas are witnessing systematic demographic change.

“Families of Turkish-backed militants have been resettled in the homes of the displaced, while the original owners are prevented from returning,” she explained.

She continued:

“We do not reject returning, but who will protect us while the Turkish occupation and its militias are still there? We cannot go back while weapons remain in the hands of these factions. For any return to happen, these groups must first leave our city.”

Meanwhile, Lamis Madana, a young woman displaced from Serekaniye, warned that

“individual return is extremely dangerous; anyone who goes back alone risks kidnapping, extortion, or even murder. We want to return together, under international protection and legal guarantees.”

She concluded by saying that the Turkish occupation seeks to erase the region’s identity and resettle new populations in place of its original inhabitants.

“That’s why we cannot talk about any genuine return unless Turkish forces withdraw and the area is handed back to its rightful residents under the supervision of the United Nations,” she said

ANHA