Silva Al Ibrahim

Kobani — Returning residents in the Kobani countryside are experiencing a tragic reality after the withdrawal of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham jihadists, finding their homes and shops looted as they try to rebuild their lives amidst enormous losses.

Displaced persons returning to their homes in the Kobani countryside of Rojava are facing harsh humanitarian conditions following the destruction and looting carried out by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham jihadists in their villages. Today, residents are trying to reorganize their homes and repair what can be repaired to continue their lives despite the scale of the losses.

During the recent military escalation targeting Kobani, the jihadists entered about 80 villages in the countryside, all of which were subjected to theft and vandalism. Our agency documented through photos and videos the extent of violations against civilian property; the writings left by the jihadists on the walls of looted homes provide clear evidence of the violations they committed.

Yazi Ismail, from the village of Khanik Avdo, explained that when the attacks intensified, her family was forced to displace to the city center, where they stayed with relatives for 38 days. During that period, the jihadists entered the village and "stole everything they found in homes and shops—electrical appliances, cables, wires, UPS batteries—and what they couldn't steal, they burned or destroyed. Even the walls of houses did not escape; they punched holes in them."

She confirmed that when they returned to the village, the jihadists were still there. "We saw with our own eyes how they were stealing from our home, and we filmed and documented that," she said, noting that some families provided them with whatever assistance they could, such as mattresses and blankets, until they can replace what they lost.

"Homes in a Deplorable State"

Koljin Bozan, from the village of Mil, whose home was also vandalized and looted, recounts what happened. "We left the village collectively for fear of violations, and moved with four other families to a house in the Shiran sub-district near the city, and we stayed there for fifty days."

She adds that after the jihadists withdrew from the village, they returned to their homes to find a shocking scene. "We saw our home in a deplorable state; they stole everything—from the washing machine and refrigerator to the kitchen contents. Even the windows and trees did not escape, and they destroyed the livestock barn."

With eyes full of tears, she said, "My home that they stole and destroyed is the fruit of 12 years of work and toil, and all of that was lost in one night. We have now returned to point zero," explaining that what happened to her home is the case for all village houses without exception.

They also stole internet tower cables, clogged water wells with dirt, damaged schools by smashing benches, and tampered with students' papers and school records. Despite the scale of losses and destruction to homes and public and private property, the people of the Kobani countryside continue their efforts to reorganize their homes and cling to their land, hoping to overcome this ordeal and start anew.

Our agency was able to obtain some photos and videos from residents who documented the theft and destruction inflicted on their homes.