Turkish bombing threatens our existence: residents of north Syria’s Ain Issa
AIN ISSA, Syria (North Press) – The continuous bombing of the Turkish forces and the affiliated opposition factions on the town and targeting the infrastructure “threatens our existence,” residents of the town of Ain Issa, 50 km north of Raqqa, northern Syria, said on Tuesday.
The residents fear that Turkey may launch a new military operation in the area, after the recent intensification of its bombing.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they repelled an infiltration attempt by the Turkish forces and the affiliated factions in the countryside of Ain Issa town yesterday.
“These attacks have been continuing for two years. They bomb the populated areas and civilians,” Mustafa Shasho, 40, a resident of the town and shopkeeper said.
“The bombing primarily affects the residents of the town. We are forced to close our shops and leave the town and return when the bombing stops,” he added.
The goal of Turkey and its factions’ indiscriminate bombing of the town and its villages is to “evacuate the area of the population to be easy for them to loot them,” Shasho told North Press.
The town of Ain Issa and the western villages of Tel Abyad and other areas in northern Syria are continuously bombed by Turkey and opposition factions.
The Russian forces do nothing towards the Turkish bombing on Ain Issa, Shasho added.
On November 4, the Turkish forces bombed health and vital facilities in the town of Ain Issa and its countryside.
The town of Ain Issa and its countryside are almost daily shelled by Turkey and the affiliated opposition factions, said Mustafa Qader, 60, a resident of Ain Issa town.
“What does Turkey want from us as civilians? Shall we leave our homes to it?” he added.
He expressed his concern and confusion by saying, “We do not know what to do, we do not want to leave our homes and leave our property as we did before,” referring to the period in which the Islamic State (ISIS) attacked the town.
Qader pointed out that they do not trust the Russians and government forces as a guarantor, “they are nominally in the area without taking actions towards the Turkish bombing.”
The town of Ain Issa contains some points of the government forces and a Russian military base. The Russians and the government forces set up their points in the town following understandings with the SDF in 2019, during the Turkish operation against northeast Syria.
Although Turkey signed two ceasefire agreements with both the Russian and American sides in October 2020, Ain Issa is still repeatedly shelled and targeted by Turkish forces and opposition factions.