Turkey seeks to occupy more Syrian lands, displace population-Displaced people in Manbij
MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – Displaced people in Manbij camps, northern Syria, said on Tuesday that Turkey seeks, through its threats, to occupy new Syrian lands and displace the indigenous population.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced May 3 a plan by his government that would allow the voluntary return of 1 million Syrian refugees from Turkey to northern Syria.
“We are taking another step in establishing a 30km security zone along our southern border. We will clean up Tel Rifaat and Manbij of terrorists”, Erdogan told a meeting of his ruling party in parliament on June 1.
In a statement to the public opinion, the displaced said that the military escalation in the Manbij and Tel Rifaat areas is nothing but violations committed by Turkey to displace the residents of the area and spread fear among them.
Turkish threats to launch a new military operation in the northern Syrian regions on the pretext of protecting Turkish national security will cause humanitarian disasters, the statement said.
Turkey seeks to occupy more land and turn it into a safe area as it claims. However Turkey’s goals and ambitions are to cause chaos in the region and this is so clear. It exploits the crisis of the displaced and turns it into political and military gains to achieve its political interests, it added.
The statement explained all the displaced people in the camps in Manbij and Tel Rifaat fear the Turkish military operation. They have been living in the stability and security in the region for years unlike the areas controlled by Turkey and the SNA factions, where chaos and forced displacement prevail.
The SDF liberated Manbij from ISIS rule in 2016, and the city is now under the control of the SDF-aligned Manbij Military Council. Remarkably, the MMC.
The statement was concluded by calling on the humanitarian organizations and the international community to assume their humanitarian, moral and legal responsibilities towards the region’s residents and the displaced. It also called them to take a firm attitude towards any Turkish military intervention in Syrian territory.