Education in Syria’s Manbij halted over Turkish bombardment
MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – Residents of villages on the frontlines with the Turkish-backed armed oppositions group northwest of Manbij, north Syria, expressed their fear that the educational process would be permanently halted in conjunction with the increase of the Turkish bombardments.
Talal al-Hanthal, a resident from the village of Umm Adasa al-Farat northwest of Manbij, and father of three primary school students at the village’s school, said that school attendance has been intermittent since the beginning of the second semester due to occasional clashes.
“However, after the recent increase in Turkish bombardment, I no longer allow my children to go to school at all,” he added.
“Our village school is very close to the frontline, and we do not guarantee our children to learn while the specter of death by Turkish shells is haunting them,” al-Hanthal stated.
Al-Hanthal demanded the finding of a solution or an agreement to stop the ongoing Turkish attacks, saying, “we cannot sleep in our homes.”
The second semester started on January 24, after spending a 15-day-semester break.
The countryside of Manbij, from the village of al-Oshariya, in the northeast of the city, to the villages of al-Jamousiyah and al-Dandaniya, northwest of the city, is subject to almost daily targeting.
On February 8, the Manbij Military Council announced that it had thwarted an infiltration attempt by the armed groups in the village of al-Jat, northeast of Manbij.
On February 8, the Turkish artillery stationed in Umm Rutha, northeast Manbij, shelled the vicinity of the village of al-Jat with seven shells.