NORŞÎN ABDİ

 Kobanê- The Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions occupied Girê Spî (Tell Abyad) and Serêkaniyê (Ras al-Ayn) on October 9, 2019 and displaced thousands, mostly women and children. In 2019, Tel Samen cam, an internally displaced person (IDP) camp located north of the city of Raqqa, was built for displaced people of Girê Spî and Serêkaniyê by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The camp is now the home of more than 700 families.

‘We had to leave our homeland’

Yusra Ali Muhammed (40) is one of the residents of the camp. In an interview with NuJINHA, she said, “We had to leave our houses, our city and our homeland. The Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions began to attack our city on October 9. When we heard bombshell sounds, we understood that the Turkish state was attacking our city. We were in shock for days. We did not leave our houses for days but due to inhuman practices of the Turkish forces and Turkish-backed factions, we left our houses.”

‘We will unite to live together’

Yusra Ali Muhammed thinks the aim of the Turkish attacks on Girê Spî was to depopulate the region. “Turkish drones targeted civilians and their houses. My house was also targeted by Turkish drones. We had to leave the town because my house was totally damaged. First, we took shelter in a village and then we came to this camp. Before the occupation, we had a peaceful life. Girê Spî was the home of Arab, Kurdish, Syriac and Turkmen people. As Arab, Kurdish, Syriac and Turkmen people, we will unite to live together again.”

‘We had to leave our houses to the invaders’

İman Al-Ali (30) is another woman displaced from Girê Spî. Speaking about the Turkish attacks on North and East Syria, she said, “The Turkish state occupied our town, claiming that they would ensure security. However, they destroyed our safe and peaceful life. On October 9, the Turkish state carried out its attacks on North and East Syria. Girê Spî and its villages were also attacked. The Turkish state used weapons, warplanes and drones so we had to leave our houses to the invaders.”

‘The end of the invaders will be like the fate of ISIS’

İman Al-Ali defined the rights violations committed by the invaders as barbaric. “Many people leave their houses every day due to inhuman practices and torture faced by them. The Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions use the methods of ISIS in the occupied areas. There is no difference between them. The end of the invaders will be like the face of ISIS.”