The village of “Gerbenav”, “Apocalypto” of northern Syria

Kobani – North-Press Agency
Mohamed Habash / Fayad Mohammed
"This is the land of our ancestors, we cannot move away from," said a Kobanian woman emulating the famous film “Apocalypto”, set in the declining era of the Maya civilization in Central America.
Halima Hussein, clinging to the ground, spoke with some anxiety and a lot of clinging to her village and her past, which form memories that refuse to be erased.
"I have cattle and birds, we cannot live elsewhere," she said; her simple tone and her unconscious mind with all the policies united with what the woman seemed to mean, in short, the demographic change, which is sought by the adjacent authorities of their bordering areas in the north of Syria.
Local people of Kobani’s bordering villages adjacent to Turkey, have been displaced due to the artillery shelling targeting these villages, despite the deployment of the Syrian government forces on the borders.
The village of “Gerbenav”, east of Kobani was emptied after heavy Turkish bombardment, causing the displacement of local villagers, leaving their homes and farms, which have become almost deserted, according to North-Press reporters.
The village has become almost empty, except for some people who haven’t left their small houses, who preferred to leave every afternoon, stay overnight in the open or in the homes of their relatives in other areas, and then return the next morning.
Zelal, a mother-of-five children stayed in the village with her husband the farmer, she said: “Our bordering village with Turkey, is subjected to the shells continuously, as we are confused and very afraid". She talked about the Turkish shelling, pointing out to the bad situation of her family, her children cannot tolerate the cold where the weather conditions are getting worse with the advent of winter.
While close to the village, a Russian patrol has been patrolling the borders continuously since the deployment of the Syrian government forces. While the remaining villagers and displaced people fear of resuming attacks on the village. “We do not trust them, a Russian patrol has just passed from here, but we do not trust them," said Abu Hameed, an elderly man who fears of a possible treachery, affecting the people of his village and the whole area.
Between clinging to the land and fearing treachery, there is an inherent fear for the future of the area, the future of the region, the future of children, and fear of conflicts that may bring blackness to the region, which has already suffered displacement, killing and war.