Man recalls Turkish drone strike killing wife in Syria’s Qamishli
Azzam al-Ali, owner of a poultry farm in the town of Tirbe Spiyeh (al-Qahtaniya) in the countryside of Qamishli, northeastern Syria - North Press
By Nalin Ali
QAMISHLI, Syria, (North Press) – The details of the Turkish drone strike that targeted Azzam’s farm still linger in his memory since it led to the death of his wife.
Over a decade ago, Azzam al-Ali, 40, and his family tried to escape death and left the city of Douma in Rif Dimashq Governorate, southern Syria, because of the conflict that occurred in these areas.
He returned to his hometown in Tirbe Spiyeh (al-Qahtaniya) in the countryside of Qamishli, northeastern Syria, where it was more safe and stable.
No escape from death
“We didn’t know that death will follow us here. We ran away from death in Douma, to face it again here,” Azzam told North Press.
He recalled the day of “the tragedy” as he described it, on Dec. 24, 2022, when a Turkish drone targeted their farm in Tirbe Spiyeh.
Around 10:00 am that day, Azzam, along with his wife and children, and several female workers were having breakfast after working in his poultry farm.
“After few seconds, a Turkish drone bombed the place and turned those moments into painful ones, still lingering in our memory,” he said.
The bombing of the poultry yard caused “the injury of my wife Thawra Matar, 32, and three other workers within the poultry farm,” he added.
Azzam noted, “My wife’s injury was serious. She went into a coma as a result of being hit by shrapnel in her left eye and the left side of her head. She stayed for about ten days in the hospital, but died of an internal bleeding.”
The attack also caused material damage to the poultry farm. Pieces of shrapnel also hit and damaged Azzam’s car and his house.
After his wife passed away, Azzam and his five children, of whom the eldest is 17 years old, continued to work within the poultry farm to secure the needs and expenses of their home.
“None of us is a military personnel or uses weapons to fight Turkey. Why did they target us?,” Azzam wonders.
During the first half of 2023, Turkey attacked north Syria with 34 drone strikes, leaving behind 73 casualties, killing 44 individuals and injuring 29 others. The number of civilian victims constituted 27 percent of the total toll of victims.
Azzam demanded that the guarantor countries protect civilians from Turkish attacks. “We work within our land and region. We are not military personnel as Turkey claims have reason to attack us,” he said.