Residents of al-Tabqa: The Resistance at Tishreen Dam Was a Model of Popular Protection

Residents of al-Tabqa Canton spoke about the resistance demonstrated by the people of North and East Syria, from all components, alongside their military forces, against the attacks carried out by the Turkish occupation on Tishreen Dam on the first anniversary of the resistance, which falls on January 8.

In this context, the co-chair of the Al-Bayt Association in al-Tabqa Canton, Adnan Aliwi, stated that “the resistance at Tishreen Dam proved to the world the will of the people of North and East Syria to confront injustice.”

He noted that “what distinguished this resistance was the broad participation of women, the elderly, religious figures, and all social components, which prevented the attacks from reaching the area and turned the dam into an impenetrable barrier protecting the land and its people.”

Aliwi added that the passage of a year since the resistance does not diminish the scale of the sacrifices, pointing out that a number of civilians were martyred in defense of land and dignity. He confirmed that he was among the participants and was injured as a result of enemy airstrikes, which also targeted a large number of those standing guard.

He considered this resistance a major victory for the Autonomous Administration and the people of North and East Syria, proving that the people are capable of imposing their will when united. He explained that residents organized weekly and monthly rotations to the dam, and that religious rituals were held regularly, including Friday prayers, reflecting the role of scholars and religious leaders in this resistance.

He added that Tishreen Dam has become a historical narrative embodying the steadfastness of the region’s people and their adherence to the values of social cohesion, freedom, and equality.

For his part, the co-chair of the Religious Council in al-Tabqa Canton, Abdul-Muttalib Al-Battran, said that he participated several times in guarding the dam, emphasizing that Tishreen Dam has strategic importance as a primary source of water.

He noted that the participation of thousands from different components, despite sacrifices and the fall of martyrs, turned the dam into a fortified stronghold in the face of attacks, considering that such determination constitutes a lesson that should be generalized across Syria.

Al-Battran highlighted the active role of women in the resistance at Tishreen Dam, whether on the front lines or in media work, alongside the sacrifices of journalists and media workers who were martyred during the attacks.

He affirmed that Syrians’ joy over the fall of the Baath regime was incomplete due to the escalation of attacks on the dam, but the will of the people proved stronger, and those attacks ultimately failed.

In turn, Maryam Hanan, one of the mothers who participated in the resistance at Tishreen Dam, said that she took part from the very first day and witnessed the martyrdom of civilians on the roads leading to the dam and in its surroundings. Despite this, she did not withdraw from standing guard.

She added that she returned to participate a second time and remained for four days, during which she was injured while returning, yet this did not prevent her from preparing to return again.

Maryam explained that while their sons were fighting on the frontlines, mothers and women assumed responsibility for the popular resistance at Tishreen Dam, which they named the “Dam of Martyrs and the Wounded.”

She pointed out that hundreds of mothers, wives, and daughters—Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Assyrians, and Armenians—participated in guarding the dam without any discrimination, serving as clear evidence of the unity of the popular stance.

Maryam Hanan linked the resistance at Tishreen Dam to the current situation, referring to the recent attacks that targeted the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo, as well as the areas of Deir Hafer, affirming the readiness of residents to mobilize again as they had done before.

She concluded by saying that women’s participation has been, and continues to be, a fundamental pillar of the resistance, and that the Women’s Protection Units, alongside the Syrian Democratic Forces, continue to fight side by side, embodying the unity of components and the strength of popular will.

The Turkish occupation and its mercenaries launched intensive attacks on Tishreen Dam, which were repelled by the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Women’s Protection Units, while convoys of tens of thousands of residents from North and East Syria headed to the dam to stand guard and protect it.

The guarding campaign lasted 118 days, from January 8 to May 5, and ended with the Autonomous Administration announcing its conclusion. The resistance resulted in the martyrdom of 25 civilians and the injury of 240 others, including journalists, academics, artists, politicians, and university students.