MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – Salem is looking for a way to cultivate his land this year that is on contact lines with Turkish forces and Turkish-backed armed Syrian opposition factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA).
He is confused either renting his land at a cheap price or risking and cultivating it on his own expense, a choice that threatened his life.
The 48-year-old Salem al-Ahmad, a farmer from the village of al-Jat on contact lines north of the city of Manbij, northern Syria, is afraid of cultivating his land this year due to constant targeting of the village by the Turkish forces.
Residents of the villages nearby contact lines between Manbij Military Council Forces, affiliated with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the Turkish forces and the SNA factions, in the northwestern countryside of Manbij, do not dare to cultivate their lands due to the constant Turkish shelling.
In a blatant violation of ceasefire agreements, the Turkish forces and the SNA factions continue to escalate shelling of border villages and contact lines with the SDF, spreading panic among residents.
Following the Turkish incursion in October 2019, Turkey signed two, 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.
Al-Ahmad said that the new season is coming, but he has been unable to cultivate his land that costs too much money, as any Turkish shelling may burn his crop just like what happened to other farmers from neighboring villages in the recent years.
Last year, the Turkish forces shelled the village, burning large cultivated areas, causing mass losses to farmers, according to the farmer.
The 52-year-old Mustafa al-Omar, a farmer from a neighboring village of al-Kawkli, is sure that he should not cultivate his land due to the indiscriminate shelling as the shells often fell on the agricultural lands.
Al-Omar is sure that he has made the right decision as he will save money and effort that may he lose in a Turkish shell.
Many residents of al-Kawkli and other neighboring villages made the same decision, fearing that they may lose their lives due to the indiscriminate Turkish shelling of inhabited villages.
Al-Omar did not take this decision randomly because last year a shell fell a few meters away from him while he was working in his land, forcing him to leave the land and run away with his children.
Since 2017 following Turkish operation “Euphrates Shield”, villages in Manbij have turned to separating lines between the Manbij Military Council and the SNA factions, and Turkey established bases overlooking these villages with the aim to target them.
Turkey launched three military operations against northern and northeastern regions of Syria. The first was “Euphrates Shield” operation in 2016 where it occupied Jarablus and al-Bab, the second was “Olive Branch” operation in 2018 where it occupied Afrin region, and the third was “Peace Spring” in 2019 which resulted in the occupation of the two cities of Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Tel Abyad with their countryside in addition to other operations across Syria.
Residents of villages on contact lines call for international community and relevant actors to stop the Turkish attacks against them.
While the 60-year-old Ra’fat al-Saidi did not find another source for livelihood except cultivating his land, however he has fears whenever he goes to his land.
Al-Saidi, who is a farmer from the village of al-Sayyada, north of Manbij, said that the Turkish shelling of his village has become a “normal thing.”
If the Turkish attacks continue, farmers cannot cultivate their lands anymore, the farmer added.
Residents of al-Sayyada are forced to depend on their lands as a source for living. However, in case, they do not cultivate their lands this year, they will suffer a lot, as they will not be able to secure needs of their families.
He said that since the village is a contact line with the SNA factions, “we live in a state of panic and terror due to constant Turkish shelling.”
“How can we feel safety on our lands, since we do not feel safe at our homes,” the farmer wondered.
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 areas held by the Autonomous Administration with those of the Syrian government, in addition to opposition-held areas in northern Syria.
The SDF supported by the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS liberated Manbij from ISIS in 2016 following fierce battles.