HESNA MIHEMED

Shahba- Afrin Canton is known as the cradle of civilization in the Western Kurdistan or Rojava. The Jindires town in the Afrin Canton has lush green plain and beautiful nature. There are many Kurdish villages in the town, which has hosted many civilizations throughout human history.

Having 16 archaeological mounds, the town was a strategic corridor connecting the Antakya plain in the Antep region and the Harran region on the Euphrates River until 6th century AD. In the town having an important agricultural and economic resource, many agricultural products such as olives, grains, vegetables, fruits and tobacco are grown. In each village, different fruits and vegetables are grown. The town is known as the main economic resource of the Afrin region.

 ‘The town was known for its olives’

53-year-old Esmehan Rasûl, a resident of the town, told us that Jindires is a very important town in the region.

The town was known for its olives,” she said, “We used to plant olive trees everywhere because it has many water resources. The village of Celemê is a famous village for its tobacco plantations. It is also known for its grains. In the past, the villagers worked together in the agricultural fields. The culture of helping others used to be very common in the town and women in particular used to help each other. The villages in the north of the town were full of farmers and famous for their fruits. All kinds of vegetables and fruits used to be grown in the town.”

 ‘The Turkish state has turned Jindires into a blood bath’

Before the Turkish occupation, women and men used to attend weddings and celebrations by wearing their local clothes and when someone died in the town, they used to mourn together.

“In the past, people felt the pain and joy of others. People from different nations used to support each other. However, the Turkish state has turned the town into a bloodbath,” Esmehan Rasûl told NuJINHA.

Speaking about the revolution in Rojava, Esmehan Rasûl said, “Jindires achieved great success in the first years of the revolution despite the ongoing Turkish attacks. In 2013, the Women’s Defense Units formed their first battalion named Martyr Rûken. The people became human shields at the borders by resisting the Turkish state's attempts to enter Afrin. As it is known, Jindires and its villages are close to the Turkish border. During the revolution, the town left its mark on history and wrote historical legends.”

 ‘Women have been killed, raped and tortured’

After a 58-day resistance in Afrin and its towns, the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions occupied Afrin. Esmehan Rasûl added, “The town has been under Turkish occupation for five years. Since then, many women have been killed, raped and tortured. The February 6 earthquakes also destroyed the town. However, the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions did not allow search and rescue teams and humanitarian aids to enter the town. People struggled to survive under rubble for days. The humanitarian supplies sent to the town after days were stolen by the Turkish-backed factions.”