Kobani farmers cultivate their lands amid fears of Turkish invasion

Kobani – North-Press Agency
Fattah Issa / Fayyad Mohammed

Farmers and peasants in the district of Kobani in general, and landowners close to the Syrian-Turkish border areas in particular, are facing difficulties in cultivating their lands at the start of the planting season, due to the ongoing Turkish threats, and fears of being shot by Turkish military while working in their field.
Most of Kobani’s local villagers, especially those close the border areas, depend on agriculture and animal husbandry for their livelihoods, but the Turkish threats have made an obstacle in practicing their only work that depends on to make a living for their children and families.

Fears of war
Mahmoud Mustafa Barkal, from the village of Dihaban, some 4 km east of Kobani, told North-Press that farmers in Pirsus Plain (the eastern countryside of Kobani) are slowing their land cultivating because of fears of a Turkish military invasion in their area. He explained that they are forced to cultivate their lands, even though they do not know the fate of this agriculture, or if it is going to be harvested by them.
Barkal added that about a quarter of the land has been cultivated, while the rest of the land has been left uncultivated so far, because most people are afraid of the Turkish threats, in addition to the lack of diesel caused by the Turkish military invasion in the region, due to cutting off the main roads between the regions of al-Jazira and Kobani.
He also stressed that the security situation so far is not bad, and the time is appropriate for cultivation, pointing out that farmers are currently planting their lands with wheat and barley, which can be planted until the end of this month, after it will be planting of lentils and chickpeas.

Proximity to the borders
Mohamed Bozan, a worker on an agricultural tractor, from the border village of Kazikan, some 5km to the east of Kobani said: “We are now planting seeds and cultivating our lands near the border.”
Bozan pointed to the concerns of the local people and farmers because of the bordering lands with the Turkish borders, as his field is just beside the Syrian-Turkish border.
"I will plant my land and I put my trust in Allah," he said, despite his fear that the Turkish army or snipers would shoot him while he is cultivating his land. He pointed out that the main resource of living for him and the people of the bordering villages is rain-fed and irrigated agriculture.
Between the unknown future and the current agricultural situation, the rural population of Kobani remains waiting for stability so they can provide their livelihood, which the ongoing Turkish military invasion in northeastern Syria is an obstacle in their way.