KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – Residents of Kobani are afraid of a new war, the first signs of which became clear after Turkey used warplanes to bomb the city and its countryside a few days ago and Turkish statements to launch a ground military operation in Syria.
On November 20, the cities of Kobani, Derik (al-Malikiyah), and the northern countryside of Aleppo, in addition to other areas on Syrian-Turkish border were targeted by Turkish warplanes, killing 13 people, including civilians and fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and 13 soldiers of Syrian government forces, as well as injuring seven others.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed on Monday that there are talks with parties to the conflict of Syria to carry out a ground military operation on northern Syria and northern Iraq.
Muslim Abdulghani, a resident of Kobani, said that he is afraid of a new war in the area because it will cause another humanitarian catastrophe and displace residents.
The 50-year-old man called on “key powers to repel the attacks and war.”
“We hope humanitarian organizations and international community repel the Turkish attacks.”
On Tuesday, a military source from Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, known as Syrian National Army (SNA), revealed that Turkish command intends to launch a ground military operation against areas in northeast Syria.
The source stressed that the opposition received Turkish instructions to increase combat readiness in preparation for the operation likely to start soon.
Residents of Kobani think that any other war will repeat their misery and suffering of displacement and destroy their city, like what happened in 2014 when Islamic State Organization (ISIS) carried out a war on the city.
“We are in winter and there are too many people and IDPs in Kobani. If there will be displacement, where will these people go in this harsh winter?” Abdulghani wondered.
Guarantor states in Syria only released statements, rejecting the Turkish attacks against northeastern Syria without lifting a finger.
On November 22, Russian presidential Special Envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, said his country called on Turkey to restrain from “excessive use of force” in Syria’s north, as the west seeks to exploit Syrian issue for confrontation with Russia.
On the same day, the US urged Turkey to de-escalate and to focus on fighting ISIS, “We urge de-escalation in Syria to protect civilian life and support the common goal of defeating ISIS.”
As Amina Muhammad, 50, gets rid of the images of ISIS crimes invasion, and how they got rid of the destruction and the displacement they went through at the time, the fears of war and destruction have returned to her.
Muhammad, a resident of Kobani, said, “Seven years ago, we have suffered from war. We do not want a new war.”
The fiftieth woman said, “We want to stay home and on our land. Where will we resort, if war takes place?”
“We call on human rights organizations to intervene to stop this war, so that our children sleep in peace in their houses during this winter,” she added.
Using warplanes by Turkey in the recent attacks raised residents’ concern; especially that it was the first time to use warplanes after its military operation against Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) in 2019.
In October 2019, Turkish military and its affiliated SNA factions launched a military operation under the name of “Peace Spring” and occupied the border cities of Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad, leading to the displacement of about 300.000 of the region’s original inhabitants.
Fears of Mustafa Omar, 70, have increased after a Turkish drone targeted one of the most important bases of US-led Global Coalition in Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria, on Tuesday.
“Turkey aims through launching military operations at exterminating the Kurds,” Omar added.
He considered the EU, US, UN and Russia as partners of Turkey in the recent airstrikes, “Turkey cannot use its warplanes without their approval.”