Ilham Ahmad
We mark the fifth anniversary of the Turkish occupation of the cities of Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad amid a complex regional reality dominated by the conflicts in Gaza and southern Lebanon. The situation in Syria is not much different, as there are no signs of a political solution to the country’s crisis on the horizon.
Throughout the years of the Syrian crisis, Turkey has played a negative role, directly impacting the course of a political solution. Its generous and unlimited support for extremist groups has turned the country into a magnet for terrorists from both the East and the West. The latest of these groups supported by Turkey are the same factions governing the occupied areas in Syria, such as Sere Kaniye, Jarablus, Tel Abyad, and Afrin, where violations are rampant and reported daily. Ankara’s first steps after occupying these areas were the forced displacement of local residents and the resettlement of the families of its militants. This was followed by cases of rape, arbitrary arrests, and the seizure of property belonging to the original population.
The absence of a political solution in Syria continues to keep displaced people, who fear returning to their original areas due to ongoing violations, far from returning anytime soon. Despite repeatedly declaring our readiness for a peaceful solution with Turkey and always seeking good relations with all neighboring countries based on respect for Syria’s unity and sovereignty, we have yet to receive any positive signals from Turkey. Instead, it has continued to strike and target the region’s infrastructure and commit crimes against innocent people, including children and women from the local population. Moreover, Turkey is still attempting to gain international approval to occupy new Syrian territories.
We reaffirm our commitment to the displaced people’s right to return to their lands with dignity, considering this a fundamental issue we share with our allies and partners involved in the Syrian issue. Equally important is the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syrian territories, as we believe this is the first step toward resolving the Syrian crisis. The international powers active in the Syrian issue must play their real role and uphold their obligations to those with legitimate claims.
The fifth anniversary of the Turkish invasion coincides with the U.S. presidential elections, and we hope the next president will have a positive role regarding Syria. Washington was one of the sponsors of the ceasefire agreement at the time, along with Russia. However, the ceasefire ended with Turkey occupying Syrian lands and displacing its residents. We trusted the mediation role played by the U.S. envoy back then and expressed our willingness to adhere to any agreement reached, but it seems Turkey’s intentions were focused on invasion and occupying Syrian lands. Now, we see that Turkey has not abandoned those intentions, using Northeast Syria as a blackmail tool against anyone demanding that Turkey uphold agreements it made with countries it is in conflict with. Turkey has long been trying to distance itself from NATO, striking out in all directions, blackmailing NATO at times and Russia at others to achieve its goals, with its occupation of Syrian lands being a result of these policies.
Today, we believe the time has come to review these policies and the concessions made by the concerned countries to Turkey to maintain their relations and interests with it. We see the importance of focusing on the region’s peoples and working toward enforcing international laws, compelling Turkey to withdraw from the Syrian issue, and leaving the matter for the Syrian people to resolve among themselves. We urge the international community, the United Nations, and the International Court of Justice to address the issues of the Syrian people and restore the rights of the rightful owners. The people of Sere Kaniye, Tel Abyad, Afrin, Eastern Ghouta, Daraa, and other Syrian cities deserve a dignified return and liberation from the oppression of extremist groups and their supporters.