SURKIL SHEIKH

Tal Tamr_Amid demands for providing real guarantees to ensur the safety of returnees to the city of Sere Kaniye/Ras al-Ayn, questions arise about the future of field conditions and their capacity to secure a safe and sustainable return for residents after years of displacement.

Kulikhan Soufi, Co-chair of the Tel Tamr City Council, stated that ongoing regional developments and the political and security changes Syria is witnessing have prompted Turkey to rearrange its plans within the country, increasingly relying on indirect tools to enhance its influence, including Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham jihadists. In her view, Turkish influence within Syria has increased during the current year, and Ankara continues to implement plans to consolidate its presence in areas it has controlled, concurrently with ongoing discussions between the interim Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces' Integration Committee regarding the file of returning displaced persons from Ras al-Ayn/Sere Kaniye.

She explained that displaced persons from Afrin have begun returning to their areas, while the file of returning displaced persons from Ras al-Ayn/Sere Kaniye remains under negotiation. Many residents wish to return to their homes, but security concerns still constitute the greatest obstacle. "Some families face demands to pay sums of money in exchange for reclaiming their homes, in addition to the demographic changes the city has witnessed over the past years, which further complicates the return file."

She also stated that the continued Turkish military and intelligence presence in the region—even if direct military presence has diminished—makes the majority of displaced persons hesitant to return. "Armed groups that recently emerged in Sere Kaniye have issued threats against Kurds wishing to return, falling within a policy aimed at preventing the original inhabitants from returning to their areas. The continuation of these conditions may prevent around 80% of displaced persons from returning."

Clarifying the Future of the Turkish Presence

Kulikhan Soufi affirmed that the residents of Ras al-Ayn/Sere Kaniye have suffered, since the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries took control of the city in 2019, from killing, arrest, torture, kidnapping, and various violations. "Any continuation of the Turkish presence, even if indirect, will keep fears alive among the displaced. Therefore, the future of this presence must be clarified before embarking on any process of returning the population."

She pointed out that Turkish drones continue to fly over Ras al-Ayn/Sere Kaniye, Tel Tamr, Kobani, and even Tel Abyad/Gri Spi, while military patrols and fortifications persist, making the return of civilians even more difficult. "The problem is not in the ability of Syrians—Arabs and Kurds—to manage their areas, but in the continued Turkish intervention inside Syrian territory."

Our interlocutor stated that Turkey may have reduced the visibility of its forces and heavy machinery, but it still maintains its military bases and security networks, in addition to relying on local armed groups. "The continued presence of these forces, and the fact that Kurdish homes remain under the control of others, means that safe return is still not available, and returnees may face the risks of kidnapping, arrest, or killing."

A Strategy to Prolong the Presence

Kulikhan Soufi considered that the targeting of civilians who attempted to return to one of the villages in the Ras al-Ayn/Sere Kaniye countryside—which houses a Turkish military base—reflects "Ankara's pursuit to strengthen its military presence and prolong its control over the region. Turkey is working to develop its military and intelligence infrastructure in Sere Kaniye, in line with a new strategy aimed at consolidating its influence and preventing the large-scale return of displaced persons." She noted that this policy "contradicts the declared understandings regarding the return of the population."

In conclusion, Kulikhan Soufi, Co-chair of the Tel Tamr City Council, called on the international community to ensure the safe return of displaced persons from Ras al-Ayn/Sere Kaniye and to provide protection for them after their return. "Any agreement will be of no value unless accompanied by genuine security guarantees. The continuation of current conditions may lead to a repetition of the violations witnessed in other areas. Therefore, the Turkish military presence in Sere Kaniye must be ended to ensure the security of the population and the stability of the region."