People in Syria’s Qamishli call on guarantors to stop Turkish attacks 

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Residents of Qamishli city, northeastern Syria, denounced on Wednesday the silence of the guarantor countries of the ceasefire agreements in Syria regarding the repeated Turkish attacks against the civilians of northeastern Syria.

In October 2019, Turkish forces and their affiliated armed opposition factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA), launched Operation “Peace Spring” against Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Tel Abyad under the pretext of pushing the fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) away from the Turkish border with Syria.

Following the Turkey’s occupation of the two cities, Turkey signed two ceasefire agreements, one with Russia and the other with the US, stipulating ceasing all hostilities and the withdrawal of the SDF 32 km away from the Turkish border.

On Wednesday, thousands of Qamishli residents participated in the funeral ceremony of Muhyeddin Ibrahim, a member Self-Defense Forces (compulsory recruitment) of the SDF. 

On Tuesday, the SDF said that four members of Self-Defense Forces lost their lives and three others were wounded in a drone strike by Turkish forces in Qamishli.

Ismael Farhan, an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) from the city of Sere kaniye, told North Press that they want to deliver their voice to the international community, which is staying silent about the Turkish attacks.

“Despite the promises, the Turkish attacks did not stop. We are being betrayed. It is enough,” he said.

The last three days witnessed an unprecedented Turkish military escalation, targeting villages along the border with Syria.

On Tuesday, 12 civilians were injured in ground bombardments targeting villages, towns and neighborhoods of Qamishli.

Abdulkarim, a resident of Qamishli, criticized the silence of the guarantor states [the US and Russia] and to bear their responsibility in these attacks.

If they do not keep their promises, they should get out of here, Abdulkarim told North Press.

“Where are their pledges? Are they lying to us, or are we being betrayed?” he added.

On August 6, a Turkish drone targeted a car in al-Sinaa neighborhood (industrial zone) in Qamishli, killing five people, including two children.

Reporting by Muhammad al-Omari