RIHA - Women from Afrin, who are struggling to survive in Shehba against Turkish attacks and the Damascus embargo, said: "We will not step back no matter how long it takes."

 

The civil war that started in Syria in 2011 quickly spread throughout the country, causing tens of thousands of people to lose their lives and millions of people to migrate. The only place where there was no war during this period was recorded as Efrîn (Afrin). Afrin, the only city where there was no war, was the only port where people escaping from the conflicts going on almost all over the country took shelter at that time. The city, also described as the "city of peace", was governed by the self-power of the people, and the people of Afrin were building a united, free, equal and just life within the scope of the democratic nation project.

 

The common life built in Afrin was seen as a constant threat by AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The threats against the city turned into an actual attack by Turkey and the paramilitary forces it supports, on January 20, 2018. More than 300 people lost their lives as a result of the attacks. Around 400 thousand people were forced to migrate. While the people of Afrin living in the camps established in Shehba, where hundreds of thousands of migrants took shelter, are waiting for the day they will return to their lands, the Damascus government is preventing the citizens' vital needs (child milk, fuel, medicine, food, etc.) from passing into the region with the tightened embargo. Turkey's air strikes targeting the infrastructure and civilian living spaces in Northern and Eastern Syria negatively affect the lives of citizens staying in the camps. Turkey and the paramilitary forces it supports carried out attacks on Afrin and Shehba 8 thousand 992 times in 2023.

 

At Avrîn Hospital, which is the only hospital in the region and provides healthcare services to hundreds of thousands of people in a wide area, health units and services other than the emergency unit were out of operation as a result of fuel shortage and power outages. Patients cannot reach the hospital because their vehicles cannot be started due to fuel shortage. At the same time, people cannot find medicine to treat patients.

 

Migrants from Afrin and the people of Shehba, living under Turkey's attacks and the tightening embargo imposed by the Damascus government on the region, are waging a great struggle with the new life they have built despite all the limited resources. Fidan Mihammed Osman and Zeynep Mihammed, who were forcibly displaced from Afrin and forced to stay in Serdem Camp in Shehba, shared their experiences with Mezopotamya Agency (MA).

 

'THERE ARE NEW ATTACKS EVERY DAY'

 

Fîdan Mihammed Osman, who was forced to migrate from Afrin to Shehba 6 years ago, said: “We are trying to convey our voice to the whole world. Does no one see us? No one wants to recognize the rights of the Kurds, the Kurds want to live humanely." 

Stating that Turkey's attacks on the region have been continuing uninterruptedly for 6 years, Fîdan Mihammed Osman said: “In addition, the Damascus Government is imposing an embargo in every aspect. We don't have electricity. All roads leading to Shehba have been blocked. There is no opportunity for health. Everyone has health problems. Under these conditions, it’s been 7 years. No matter how long it takes, we will not step back from the fight. We will regain our rights through struggle. We will not allow new Lausannes. Today, we have gains to a certain extent. We are Kurds and we will never deny it. We entered the new year under attack. There are new attacks every day. The people of Afrin have nowhere else to migrate." 

 

'EVERYONE SHOULD STAND UP'

 

Stating that they lived in a tent in the camp, Fîdan Mihammed Osman stated that the conditions became more difficult during the winter months. Fîdan Mihammed Osman said: “People stay in tents in the camp and the weather is very cold. The tents are very hot in summer and very cold in winter. Even if we stay in tents, no power can break our will." 

Noting that PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan has been held in absolute isolation for 25 years, Fîdan Mihammed Osman said: “We have not heard from him for about 3 years. Mr. Öcalan defends the rights of all people, but today no one stands up and speaks out against this isolation. Everyone must stand up. We will do our best for Mr. Öcalan's freedom, no matter what conditions we find ourselves in. We are ready to do whatever is asked of us. No one can make us take a step back. We sacrifice martyrs for this cause every day. States that cannot see or hear us should know that we will not surrender. Sooner or later we will achieve our rights. We have more hope than ever. No one can force us to live a life we don't want."

 

'WE WILL WIN'

 

Fîdan Mihammed Osman said: "The key to the solution is in the hands of Mr. Öcalan. The address for those who want to solve the knot of chaos in the Middle East is clear. Unless Mr. Öcalan is free, Kurdistan cannot be free. When the war was declared against Ukraine, all the states of the world stood up and spoke out. But Afrin has been under occupation for 6 years and no one speaks out. Don't those living in Afrin have the right to live? The world should know that we have been resisting for 6 years and we will continue to resist. Either we win or we lose, there is no other way.”

 

Zeynep Mihammed, who has been struggling to survive in the same camp for 6 years, also touched upon the difficulties of living in a tent and said: “There are many difficulties in living in tents in the camp. In addition, we face new attacks every day. Turkey continues its attacks without interruption. Living conditions get worse, especially in the winter months.”

Drawing attention to the difficulties they experienced in obtaining medicine due to the attack and embargo in the camp, Zeynep Mihammed said: “Our children are getting sick and we cannot provide medicine to cure them. Children are losing their lives because there is no medicine. There are difficulties in everything, but there is also resistance. Everyone living in the camp has a strong will. While people resist, they draw strength from Leader Apo's philosophy. We will never step back against attacks. We will grow our organization every day. We are not afraid of enemy attacks."

 

'WE WANT TO RETURN TO AFRIN'

 

Zeynep Mihammed said: “Leader Abdullah Öcalan must be free as soon as possible. Our demands are our human rights. We want to return to Afrin. I don't know how long it will take, but we will be back eventually. The Kurds will gain their rights like every other nation." 

 

MA / Emrullah Acar