RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – Residents of the city of Raqqa, northern Syria, expressed their firm rejection of Turkish threats of launching a new military operation on northern Syria and the occupation of more Syrian lands under the name of the safe zone.
The military threats launched by Turkish officials with a new military operation against Syrian north represented one of the most important challenges facing the region and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), whose officials condemn and reject the threats of the new war.
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.
Fatima al-Ali, a resident of the city of Raqqa, expressed her rejection of the Turkish attacks against the region, saying “We condemn Erdogan’s attacks on our Syrian lands.”
“We sacrificed of our blood, our martyrs and our children, and we do not want to be displaced again,” she added.
On June 1, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his threats of launching a military operation on northern Syria, and specified his targets in the two Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat, which include many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Al-Ali stressed that the people will not allow anyone to attack any new geographical area of Syrian territory, as she said “we will not allow Erdogan to take an inch of our Syrian lands.”
On May 23, Erdogan announced taking steps to complete the so-called remained portions of the “safe zone” plan along Turkey’s southern border saying, “We will soon take new steps regarding the incomplete portions of the project we started on the 30 km deep safe zone we established along our southern border.”
The Turkish “safe zone” is an area of 30-35 km (19-22 miles) deep into Syrian territory that Turkey started establishing in 2019 to house 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.
Issa al-Khabour, a resident of Raqqa, said that the Turkish threats against northern Syria are condemned by all parties.
“We do not accept the occupation of any part of Syria, we condemn and denounce the international silence on what the Justice and Development Party, represented by the impudent Erdogan, is committing,” al-Khabour added.
Hiba Muhammad, a resident of Raqqa, said that Turkey is violating human rights in the areas that held by the Turkish-backed opposition factions.
“We call on the international community and human rights organizations to stand against the violations that are being practiced against the regions of north and east Syria,” she noted.
Muhammad considered that women and children are the most affected by the war, and they are the ones who suffer hundreds of violations in Turkey’s controlled areas of rape, murder, kidnapping and arrest.
She further explained that the Turkish government uses the Syrian refugees on its territory to serve its political agendas and interests in Syria and the region.
Suheir al-Salloum, a resident of the city of Raqqa, said that the Turkish forces and the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions also known as Syrian National Army (SNA) are committing all kinds of human rights violations in the areas they control, targeting defenseless civilians, children, women and the elderly.
She added to North Press that the Turkish government is trying to expand its areas of control in Syria by occupying new areas and practicing demographic change and changing its features according to Turkey’s interests.
Since the start of the Syrian crisis, Turkish forces and their affiliated SNA, occupied several regions in northern Syria including Azaz, al-Bab, Jarablus, Afrin, Tel Abyad and Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain).
“We strongly condemn the violations committed by Turkey against civilians. It violates international conventions and human rights laws, it kidnaps children and women and commits human rights violations against them,” al-Salloum added.
“Turkey changes the landmarks of these areas and carries out demographic change in Ras al-Ain, Tel Abyad and other areas under its control,” she concluded.