Displaced people of Afrin subjected to Turkish bombardments in Shahba
The displaced people of Afrin, who stay in an IDPs camp in Shahba are often subjected to Turkish bombardment. “We resist everything with the hope of returning to our homes,” said the displaced women of Afrin.
HESNA MIHEMED
Shahba- The Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions occupied Afrin on March 18, 2018, displacing thousands. The displaced people of Afrin settled in IDPs camps built for them in Shahba, Shahba’s Sherewa and Shera towns. The Shahba camp was built in 2006 by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) for the displaced people of Shahba and Aleppo. The camp now hosts 65 Kurdish families from Afrin and 35 Arab families.
Located near the Kishtear village of Shahba’s Shera town, the camp is often subjected to Turkish bombardments. NuJINHA spoke to displaced women of Afrin, who live in the camp.
‘The bombardments target the camp surroundings’
Leyla Hisên is one of the displaced women living in the camp. “Kurdish and Arab people live together in the camp. The occupying Turkish state has carried out cross-border incursions every day and its bombardments target the camp surroundings. If the bombs hit our tents, many people will be killed.”
‘We have been going through a difficult period’
The displaced people in the camp face difficult living conditions in winter. “It is very cold but Erdoğan keeps attacking us. Living conditions in the camp are very bad. The international humanitarian organizations should provide support to children elders in the camp. We receive support only from the Autonomous Administration. We tolerate all difficult living conditions in order to return to Afrin.”
‘Children cannot sleep’
Latîfa Bekir also talked about the difficult living conditions in the camp. “Children cannot stand the cold weather. They cannot sleep when bombardments start. We are determined to resist difficult living conditions, attacks and bombardments in order to return to Afrin one day.”
‘The siege prevent the efforts of the AANES’
Farîda Cemal resists everything although she suffers from heart disease and diabetes. She has to go to hospital due to her diseases and take medications.
“The Autonomous Administration helps us but the ongoing siege prevents their efforts. We cannot find medications due to the siege imposed by the Syrian government. Despite my advancing age, I keep resisting with the hope of returning to our homes.”