MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – Muhammad Nadim, a Turkmen from the city of Manbij in northern Syria expresses fears over the recent Turkish escalation and how the situation could be amid escalating shelling.
“Turkish threats to our city have continued for years. There are 500 families of the Turkmen community that do not want war that caused the displacement of tens of Turkmen families,” Nadim told North Press.
“Our utmost want is that all minorities live together peacefully. We witnessed enough calamities and deportation.”
He pointed out that they had to flee when “Free [Syrian] Army controlled the city,” adding, “today, the Turkish state shells the region. To where would we go in case of a new displacement?”
Minorities in Manbij express fear over the recent Turkish military escalation that targets villages in the countryside of Manbij and other areas in northern Syria.
In May, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he intended to carry out a new military incursion into northeast Syria. He repeated his threat on August 8 allegedly to create a “safe zone”.
In general, the people in Manbij express anxiety and fear over the Turkish threats.
Manbij is home to a lot of ethnicities, religions and communities. The Turkmen and Circassians are predominating in both the city and its countryside. They were forced to leave their homes at the end of 2011.
The city of Manbij, east of Aleppo, is one of the most important industrial centers in northern Syria, as it is a transportation hub and sits on a commercial road linking the Autonomous Administration held areas with those of the Syrian government, in addition to opposition-held areas in northern Syria.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) supported by the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS liberated Manbij from ISIS in 2016 following fierce battles.
Following its liberation from ISIS, the Arabs, Kurds, Circassians and Turkmen, who constitute the fabric of Manbij, established their own administration under the name of Democratic Civil Administration of Manbij and its Countryside to run the affairs of their region. Then, this administration joined the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
Samer Habaq, a Circassian, expressed his suffering in previous wars with the Russian tsarists for a hundred years by which they found themselves in Turkey, Syria, East Mediterranean and the Arab homeland.
The Circassians have lived in Manbij for thousands of years after they were deported from the Caucasus due to wars.
Habaq, who tries to ignore another wave of displacement, says, “We should be together to protect our city.”
“After ten years of Syrian crisis, this is the first time the city is posed to such grave threats,” he added.
Today there are 150 Circassian families in Manbij. Prior to the crisis, there were 350 families. Some left Syria while others went to inland Syria.
“Number of families in Manbij is open to decrease due to the Turkish threats,’’ Habaq said.
The Circassians are divided into clans including Abzak, Qebertai, Shabsok, Abjadogh and al-Tsai.
Nalin Diaa ad-Din expresses her wishes of peace and security for Manbij and that Circassians keep their status in Manbij.
“We want no war. War is painful and ugly. We have suffered enough displacement. We, as minorities, wish all wellbeing for the communities of the region.”