HATAY - People in Hatay, one of the cities most affected by the civil war in Syria for 9 years, are in distress due to the situation in Idlib. NGOs in the city also believe that the problems will be solved only by negotiation with essential elements on the table
The civil war that started in Syria in 2011 has ft behind 9 years. The bordering cities with Syria; Urfa, Antep, Mardin and Hatay which used to attact a lot of tourists are now considered the most unsafe cities. Organizations like Tahrir al-Sham (HTS / El Nusra), the Free Syrian Army (FSA), ISIS and Ahrar El Sham that were provided with financial support as well as weapons by Turkey considered cities like Antep, Kilis, Urfa and Hatay a safe haven after the war.
The fact that radical Islamist organizations such as FSA, ISIS, El Nusra have been in the border districts of the city, where the war was deeply felt, has been worrying for both the citizens and the non-governmental organizations, while the common reaction of everyone is that these forces are protected and supported by the government. The fact that FSA and El Nusra members act very comfortably in Reyhanlı, the district where hot clashes are felt deeply, further increases the concerns of the people of the region. While there has been an intense military activity due to the conflicts in Idlib recently, military shipments are made almost every day.
'BORDERS ARE CLOSED TO JOURNALIST, OPEN TO ARMED PEOPLE'
Following the intensification of the conflicts in Syria, many search points were established until Reyhanlı district center, where cars going in and out are being searched while people are stopped for General Information Screening (GBT). While members of the radical Islamist organizations in the district can easily move around, citizens are constantly subjected to GBT checks. While the journalists who want to go to Cilvegözü Border Gate to follow the conflicts in the last period are not allowed to do so by the governorship, only pro-government broadcasting organizations such as TRT, Anadolu Agency and A Haber are allowed to cover the news.
PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS
Citizens living in border districts Kırıkhan, Yayladağı, Altınözü, Antakya and Defne districts, which have become the back yards of the Syrian war, are anxious about MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli's statements saying 'We will lose Hatay if we lose Idlib'. NGO representatives, on the other hand, say that such statements are unrealistic and consciously creating panic.
MA / Erdoğan Alayumat