Sere-Kaniye: People’s concerns and differing views over the security mechanism

About 50,000 people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds in the city of Sari Kaneh (Ras al-Ain) in northern Hasakah countryside on the borders with Turkey, in addition to thousands of IDPs who fled the conflict areas and settled in Sere-Kaniye and its countryside.

The city is located at the eastern side of proposed safe zone, which to be established in accordance with the US-Turkish agreement and in coordination with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). 

While the People’s Protection Units (YPG) has withdrawn on the 24th of this month from several points in the western villages of Sere-Kaniye countryside as an implementation of the first phase of the security mechanism agreement.

In the early hours, the city is witnessing an active movement of vendors and shoppers who came from the nearby villages. 

Salman Mirza a resident of the city said: “We do not know the terms of the agreement clearly, and we want the Autonomous Administration to clarify this agreement so that rumors don’t contribute to spread the confusion and anxiety among our people”, while adding that “many people receive calls from their friends and families who live in Turkey where they frighten them of the coming period”.

Turkey’s presence as a part of the security mechanism agreement is uncomfortable for some people, especially for the people of Afrin, whose region was invaded by the Turkish army and its affiliated Syrian armed groups in March 2018.

Fares Jaafar, a seller and a displaced person from Afrin said: “If Turkey enters this region, there will be no safety anymore as it happened in Afrin, even though the agreement is shared between the United States and Turkey but we are concerned, we don’t trust Turkey, it is openly hostiles the Kurds and doesn’t want them to live in peace!”

Regarding the presence of the United Sates as a main part and supervisor in the agreement, the seller said: “The Americans are different from the Turk, while their presence in the agreement gives us a sense of reassurance.”

Widad Ahmed, a shopper said: “We do not know much about the safe zone, but we are comfortable for the presence of the US patrols in our city, so that we are not afraid of the Turkish threats because there is always something prevents them from carrying out their threats”.

Ridwan Sultan, a clothing salesman says that they aren’t worried about their city as long as there is an agreement between the SDF and Turkey through the US side and this has achieved a relief at the moment, he also said: “The US has an interest in the stability of the region and we also benefit from its presence in our region”.

Amer al-Sayyad, works in currency exchange says: “We hope that war never rages in the region, and as long as an agreement is reached it means that all parties are satisfied”.

 He also hopes that this agreement could achieve the security and stability in the region and brings good relations with Turkey, “as there are no permanent enmities in politics,” he said.

On August 22, a delegation from the Global Coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces met with the civilian and military councils and the internal security forces in the city of Sere-Kaniye.

The officer in charge in the US forces of the Syrian-Turkish borders security Iskandar Deeb said at the meeting: “The US administration has shown us a long-term plan to counter ISIS, so I don’t expect its withdrawal any time soon”.

“Our relationship with the SDF will be based on trust and transparency, and even in all circumstances I will tell you the truth, even if I wouldn’t be uncomfortable with it,” Deeb said.

He added: “The SDF is also frank with us and this builds a strong relationship.”

On August 27, the Autonomous Administration in north and eastern Syria reaffirmed its commitment to the tripartite understandings between the SDF, the United States, and Turkey to establish a safe zone in northeastern Syria.