Turkish official expels Syria’s Sere Kaniye farmers over wheat payments
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – A Turkish official expelled a delegation of farmers from Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) city, northeaster Syria, after they visited the local council in recent days to demand overdue payments for last year’s wheat harvest, local sources reported on Sunday.
The sources said that the Turkish official, supervising the council, threatened the farmers accusing them of cooperating with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), obstructing efforts to purchase Kurdish-owned homes through intermediaries, and transferring information to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
The official expelled the farmers from the council’s headquarters and warned them not to return or demand their financial dues again.
This incident comes amid reports revealed earlier this month by special sources to North Press, indicating Turkish efforts to purchase Kurdish-owned lands in Sere Kaniye through local brokers.
Observers see this as part of Ankara’s attempts to consolidate its control over the area, nearly six years after its military takeover.
Sere Kaniye, also known as Ras al-Ain, is a historically diverse city in northeastern Syria’s Hasakah Governorate, located on the Syria-Turkey border. Before the civil war, it was home to Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Armenians, Turkmen, and Yazidis, and was an agricultural hub supporting local livelihoods.
In October 2019, Turkish forces and affiliated SNA factions captured the city during Operation Peace Spring, displacing around 300,000 civilians and causing widespread destruction. Since the occupation, residents—particularly Kurds—have faced forced displacement, property seizures, demographic changes, and obstacles preventing their return.
Reporting by Taysir Mohammed