By Mo’ayed al-Sheikh
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Jihad al-Hussein worries about his children’s safety on their way to school, due to the potential risks they may encounter along the way and the fear of abduction or being caught in crossfire between individuals or armed factions.
Despite the school being merely 1,500 meters away from his house, al-Hussein, for nearly a month, has refrained from sending his three children to school. This decision came about after his neighbor’s son was injured while going to school due to a dispute between two families, involving the use of RPG.
His concerns are rooted in the everyday conflicts and disputes as well as, the growing presence of armed groups affiliated with the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), and the unpredictable nature of their activities.
The residents of the city of al-Bab, northeast of Aleppo northwest Syria, face major security issues as weapons are frequently used, even in minor disagreements and events.
Like most of the Turkish-baked SNA-held areas, the city of al-Bab serves as a battleground for conflicts and clashes between military factions, the families and individuals who are mostly affiliated with or supportive of those factions.
Hardly a day passes without clashes erupting or conflicts arising, involving the use of light, medium, and even heavy weapons, and sometimes even bombs and rockets. The most recent incident occurred last week during a confrontation between IDPs from the city of Manbij, north Syria, and others from Deir ez-Zor Governorate, eastern the country.
Al-Hussein stated that living in al-Bab has become unbearable due to the presence of the SNA factions, rampant gangs, and the use of weapons in minor conflicts between neighbors.
He expressed frustrations that even the Military and Civil Police, affiliated with the SNA, who should intervene, are often involved in such incidents.
He described the situation as living in a jungle where the weak are preyed upon, leaving the residents helpless and powerless.
Not far from al-Bab, in the city of Azaz, north of Aleppo, where similar incidents are frequent, Akram Antabi, 38, closes his grocery store early every evening due to being located in an area witnessing clashes between factions and affiliated families.
When asked why he closes his store early, he would simply respond, “I do not want to risk my life and leave my family behind. I do not want to be a victim of stray gunfire in others’ fights and disputes.”
Antabi emphasized that the security situation in northern Aleppo, overall, is highly alarming and has deteriorated to an alarming extent. The residents constantly live in fear, apprehensive of sudden explosions resulting from the prevailing conditions.
The security challenges faced by residents in SNA-held areas in northern Aleppo have reached a critical stage. The fears, risks, and everyday conflicts have made living in these areas unbearable for many.
Adham al-Halabi, a pseudonym for a media activist residing in Afrin, north of Aleppo, outlined the worsening security situation in SNA-held areas, particularly in Afrin and Azaz. This includes incidents such as assassinations, kidnappings, and the placement of IEDs in streets and markets, and frequent deadly bombings that result in the loss of numerous lives.
He emphasized that previously, the security breakdown manifested as bombings in popular markets or direct targeting of civilians using different pretexts, which resulted in the loss of many lives.
“But today, the situation has changed. Now, residents are being killed due to the security breakdown happening among the factions themselves,” the media activist concluded.