Hasakah- Turkey has eight military bases in the Zirgan town and its surrounding villages, located in the Hasakah Canton of North and East Syria. The Turkish forces have been attacking the town and its villages for three years, many civilians have been killed in these attacks. While Dada Ebdal and Um Hermela villages of Zirgan are subjected to artillery fires, the villages resist these fires. NuJINHA spoke to villagers about the ongoing artillery fires on their villages.

“We live like in a war film”

Firyal El-Elî, who lives in the village of Um Hermela, lost her husband eight years ago and has two children. Indicating that the Turkish bases are very close to their village, she said, “We can see the bases from the village. They often open artillery fires in our village. We have been living in this village for years and we do not leave our village despite the attacks. My son was wounded in an artillery fire. He lost some of his fingers and toes. My son could not walk for four months and then he underwent a surgery. He has difficulties walking now. The aim of the artillery fires is to create fear in the village. We used to watch such things in war films but now we live like we are in a war film.”

They found alternatives for preparation for winter

Stating that she works to prepare for winter, Firyal El-Elî said, “The management of the communes gave us fuel but we also collected firewood to be an alternative. Our village is like a battlefield; we have to find alternatives since we cannot go to the city. We have firewood if we are out of fuel. We can cook and get heated in winter by using firewood. We resist until now and we want this war to end. I want to repair my house, which was damaged in the attacks, and have a normal life.”

“We do not want invaders in our region”

Firyal El-Elî wants a solution to be found in order to end the Turkish attacks on their village. “A solution must be found to end these attacks and the Turkish invasion. As people living in North and East Syria, we want to live in solidarity without invaders. All we want is peace and security. We also want the Turkish forces and other armed factions to leave our region. We want to see invaders in our region.”

“We have no agricultural field”

Xemîsa Misêtim, who is from the Dada Ebdal village, has been living in the Um Hermela village for about a month with her four sons. Speaking about the ongoing attacks, she said, “I had to leave my village and settle in Um Hermela due to the attacks. My house was destroyed in the attacks. I came here to live with my mother. But we are subjected to attacks here, too. I will return to my village when attacks end. We have no agricultural field in our village any more due to the attacks.”