Turkey’s settlement plan in Syria implies security risks – politicians in Raqqa
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – Politicians and activists in Raqqa, a city in northern Syria, warned on Tuesday against security and social repercussions implied in the Turkey’s plan to settle Syrian refugees in northeast Syria.
The settlements project that the Turkish government announced about in early May sparked resentment among residents, activists and politicians, describing the project as a broad-scale political plan to alter the demography of the region in favor of Turkey.
Shawwakh al-Ali, a human rights activists in Raqqa, said that the Turkish settlements plan is too risky and implies many repercussions the most notable of which is the demographic change in the targeted areas.
“The radical Syrian Free Army factions [Turkish-backed Syria National Army, SNA) will supervise the settlement project,” al-Ali added.
He stressed that the Syrian people will be the one to pay for this settlement project not only the areas held by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) in northeast Syria.
The AANES was first formed in 2014 in the Kurdish-majority regions of Afrin, Kobani and Jazira in northern Syria following the withdrawal of the government forces. Later, it was expanded to Manbij, Tabqa, Raqqa, Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) defeated ISIS militarily.
Activists in Raqqa believe that the Syrian people, international boards and organizations as well as those relevant to the Syrian issue should assume responsibility for foiling this project.
On May 3, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced about the project, claiming to settle about one million Syria refugees in 13 areas in the Syrian north, which Erdogan named Safe Zone.
The Turkish Safe Zone is an area 30-35 km (19-22 miles) deep into Syrian territory that Turkey started establishing in 2019, claiming that it aims at housing Syrian refugees in an area along its border with Syria, as well as to keep it free from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which it regards as terrorists.
This came in tandem with remarks released by Turkish officials, who are still promoting about an approaching military operation against north Syria.
Many parties including the US, Iran and Russia warned Turkey against launching a potential military escalation against north Syria that would destabilize the region and counter efforts to defeat extremists.
Abdurrahman Al-Issa, a politician from Raqqa, told North Press that the Turkish government receives support from Arab countries and associations to build those settlements and change the demography of the region.
He stressed that the settlement project targets at first and for the most the Kurdish areas and hits peaceful coexistence in these areas.
“This practice contradicts human rights international conventions,” he added.
Turkish remarks talk about construction of about 250.000 housing units in north Syria which activists and politicians see as a huge number which indicates that the risk will reach the countryside of Raqqa and Hasakah.