NE Syria forum urges safe return of displaced from Afrin, Sere Kaniye
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Human rights and civil society activists called on Wednesday for the safe and dignified return of displaced people from Afrin and Sere Kaniye regions during a dialogue forum held in the city of Qamishli, northeastern Syria.
Khunaf Othman, a field researcher at PÊL organization and a member of the forum’s preparatory committee, told North Press that the forum aimed to deliver the voices and demands of displaced people and victims from Afrin, Sere Kaniye, and Tel Abyad to the relevant institutions in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and the committees engaged in dialogue with Damascus.
The people of these three region were forced to flee their homes following military operations carried out by Turkish forces and their affiliated armed factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA).
The event, titled “Return First,” was organized by PÊL organization in cooperation with the Sere Kaniye Displaced Persons Committee and the Afrin Social Association, with the participation of political parties and civil bodies.
Othman noted that many of the displaced and families of victims are deeply concerned about the current trend of individual returns, citing repeated violations such as arbitrary arrests and extortion. These families are questioning their future amid such ongoing abuses, she said.
She emphasized that while the displaced long to return to their homes, they insist that any return must occur under international protection to guarantee their safety and rights.
The forum focused on three key points: the prospects for return in the context of potential agreements between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the transitional government; the role of local associations and displaced communities in shifting from documentation to influence; and the role of civil society in recording and confronting human rights violations.
According to the organizing committee, the forum will conclude with a set of recommendations and outcomes, including the announcement of a draft document outlining principles for a safe return.